Barbara Walters stepped away from the spotlight several years ago to officially retire from her career in broadcasting.
One of her last appearances was at a public event where she described what she wanted her legacy to be. She was inspired when women would tell her of their accomplishments in journalism. She wanted her legacy to be her inspiration to future women in journalism and how she was able to pioneer the field in many ways.
One of the greatest inspirational components of her career is that Walters became the first woman to anchor a primetime evening segment, which opened the door for so many people who aspired for the position in their lives.
Multiple news outlets have confirmed that Walters passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, at the age of 93.
Her representative, Cindi Berger, told PEOPLE Magazine: “Barbara Walters passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by loved ones…she lived a big life.”
“She lived her life with no regrets. She was a trailblazer not only for female journalists, but for all women.”
Walters was born in Boston in 1929 and grew up in New York. Her father was Lou Walters, a nightclub owner and Broadway producer who knew many celebrities, which may have sparked her interest to develop the skills of interviewing and reporting. She graduated with a degree in English from Sarah Lawrence College.
After working as a writer for CBS news, Walters became a writer and researcher for NBC’s Today show in 1961. She moved up the ranks and became the show’s first female co-host alongside Frank McGee and Hugh Downs.
After leaving NBC, Walters was a co-anchor on the ABC Evening News in 1976 and joined the network’s 20/20 three years later.
In 1997, she created the daytime talk show, The View. She worked on the program in various capacities until 2014.
Walters won three Emmy Awards, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the New York Women’s Agenda.