On November 14, 2009, she was to be honored for her lifetime achievements at an event "Golden: A Gala Tribute to Rue McClanahan" at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco, California. The event was postponed due to McClanahan's hospitalization. She had triple bypass surgery on November 4. It was announced on January 14, 2010, by "Entertainment Tonight" that, while recovering from surgery, she had suffered a minor stroke. In March 2010, fellow "Golden Girls" cast member Betty White reported on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" that McClanahan was doing well and that her speech had returned to normal.