Betty Ford, the former first lady whose fortrightness with her struggle with drugs and alcohol won her praise and admiration around the world, died Friday at the age of 93, a family friend confirms. Ford family spokesperson Barbara Lewandroski said that Mrs. Ford died at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California. No further details were available.

Mrs. Ford served as first lady under President Gerald Ford from 1974 to 1977.  She was refreshingly open about her battles with substance abuse, which inspired her to open the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage in 1982. Notable patients at the center included Elizabeth Taylor, Johnny Cash, and Lindsay Lohan.

Betty Ford
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