Mary Tyler Moore died on Wednesday, January 25, 2017 at the age of 80. Her longtime rep, Mara Buxbaum, made a statement that Moore died in the company of her husband, Dr. S. Robert Levine and close friends. It was previously reported that the actress was hospitalized in a Connecticut hospital in serious condition, and family members were called to visit so that they could say their last goodbyes.
Mary had been hooked up to a respirator for more than a week. The cause of her death was determined to be cardiopulmonary arrest because of pneumonia.
Mary is survived by her husband of 33 years. Her only child, Richard, died in 1980 at the age of 24 in an accidental shooting to his head while handling a gun.
Moore's illnesses
When Moore was 33-years-old, she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. For that reason, she devoted time and work to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. She became a passionate advocate for diabetes and stem cell research. At the time of her death, she was the international chairwoman of Juvenile Diabetes Research International. In 2009, the actress published a memoir, "Growing Up Again: Life, Loves, and Oh Yeah, Diabetes." In 2011, Moore had surgery for a brain tumor. In 2014, she had heart and kidney problems and suffered near blindness as a result of diabetes.
Moore's career
Mary Tyler Moore was an iconic actress and producer. Most people remember her as Mary Richards on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" that aired on television from 1970 to 1977. The actress, known for her beautiful smile, also played Mary Todd Lincoln in the 1988 miniseries "Lincoln." She had a recurring role as Diane on "Hot in Cleveland" with her friend Betty White.
For her acting roles, she was honored, winning Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Tony Awards. She was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the film "Ordinary People."
The actress became an outspoken advocate for animal rights like her friend and fellow actress Betty White. Moore started Broadway Barks 15 -- an annual homeless cat and dog adoption event in New York.
Moore loved animals and fought for laws to protect farm animals from inhumane suffering. She once said in an interview that she wanted to be remembered for being a person who made a difference for animals.
