Long-time TV reporter Barbara Walters died at her New York City home on Friday, a representative from her family said.
“Barbara Walters passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by loved ones,” Walters spokesperson, Cindi Berger, said. “She had a full life without regrets. It was her way to set the standard, not just for female journalists as well for every woman.”
Walters lived with her daughter Jacqueline Dena Guber.
Walters started her career as a journalist on television in 1961 writing for the NBC Today show. After 1976, Walters transferred to ABC and was the first female network anchor and also landed some of the most famous interviews.
After appearing on ABC's Evening News, she became co-host of the show in 1979. Then in 1997, Walters was a co-founder of The View and was host until May 2014.
Through her career that spanned over five decades, Walters received the equivalent of 12 Emmy awards for work she did in the field of television journalism.
Some of the notable people Walters interviewed throughout the years include Fidel Castro, Monica Lewinsky, Oprah, Michael Jackson, and former President Donald Trump, among others.
One of Walters final television appearances was in 2014 in which she made her last appearance as co-host on The View.
“I do not want to appear on another program or climb another mountain,” Walters declared at the moment. “I want instead to sit on a sunny field and admire the very gifted women — and OK, some men too — who will be taking my place.”
Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger mourned Walters in an announcement.
“Barbara was a true legend, a pioneer not just for women in journalism but for journalism itself,” Iger stated. “She was a unique reporter who was able to secure numerous of the most important interviews of the moment including head of state and the heads of governments to the greatest athletes and celebrities.
“I had the pleasure of calling Barbara a colleague for more than three decades, but more importantly, I was able to call her a dear friend,” Iger concluded. “She will be missed by all of us at The Walt Disney Company, and we send our deepest condolences to her daughter, Jacqueline.”
