caryrae
07-09-2011, 09:05 AM
NBC, msnbc.com and news services
Betty Ford, the former first lady whose triumph over drug and alcohol addiction became a beacon of hope for addicts and the inspiration for her Betty Ford Center in California, died at age 93, a family friend said late Friday.
Her death Friday was confirmed to The Associated Press by Marty Allen, chairman emeritus of the Ford Foundation. Family spokeswoman Barbara Lewandrowski said later that the former first lady died at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage. Other details of her death were not immediately available.
"She was a wonderful wife and mother; a great friend; and a courageous First Lady," former President George H.W. Bush said in a statement on Friday. "No one confronted life's struggles with more fortitude or honesty, and as a result, we all learned from the challenges she faced."
In a joint statement, President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said they were "deeply saddened" her death, NBC News reported.
"As a staunch advocate for women's and equal rights, Betty paved the way for generations of women to follow," the statement said.
"Her courage, compassion, and commitment to helping our nation deal with drug and alcohol abuse and addiction helped thousands of people to a successful recovery and in the process she helped to save countless families," it added.
They said Ford was "a remarkable woman whose legacy will live on in people around the country whose lives are longer and better because of her work."
Betty Ford, the former first lady whose triumph over drug and alcohol addiction became a beacon of hope for addicts and the inspiration for her Betty Ford Center in California, died at age 93, a family friend said late Friday.
Her death Friday was confirmed to The Associated Press by Marty Allen, chairman emeritus of the Ford Foundation. Family spokeswoman Barbara Lewandrowski said later that the former first lady died at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage. Other details of her death were not immediately available.
"She was a wonderful wife and mother; a great friend; and a courageous First Lady," former President George H.W. Bush said in a statement on Friday. "No one confronted life's struggles with more fortitude or honesty, and as a result, we all learned from the challenges she faced."
In a joint statement, President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said they were "deeply saddened" her death, NBC News reported.
"As a staunch advocate for women's and equal rights, Betty paved the way for generations of women to follow," the statement said.
"Her courage, compassion, and commitment to helping our nation deal with drug and alcohol abuse and addiction helped thousands of people to a successful recovery and in the process she helped to save countless families," it added.
They said Ford was "a remarkable woman whose legacy will live on in people around the country whose lives are longer and better because of her work."