Barbara Walters was a trailblazer who lived a remarkable life before passing away in December 2022 at age 93. “The View” is simply one part of her professional legacy that also includes “Today,” “20/20,” “Barbara Walters Specials,” and more. The first woman to anchor the evening news, Walters has interviewed hundreds of notable individuals, including every U.S. President since Nixon, many other world leaders, and far too many entertainers to count.
According to Susan Page’s biography “Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters” (via Axios), the legendary journalist had a key phrase engraved on her tombstone. It reads, “No regrets — I had a great life.” Whereas her professional life was highly developed, the anchor often had to make sacrifices in her personal life. And while her tombstone labeled her regret-free, Walters did express regret earlier in her life over her parenting. In a 2014 ABC News special, she confessed that she wished she had spent more time with her only child, daughter Jackie, instead of focusing so much on her work.
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“I regret not having more children. I regret … I would have loved to have had a bigger family. I have one daughter, I don’t have brothers and sisters,” she told Piers Morgan in a CNN interview. “In terms of my career, beyond anything I expected. And I don’t know what it’s going to be like when I stop working.”
If you or anyone you know is struggling or in crisis, dealing with domestic abuse, a victim of child abuse, or needs help with an eating disorder, contact the relevant sources below:
- Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
- Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
- Contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.
- Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA’s Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).
