BREAKING: Sandra Day O'Connor dies at age 93

CELEBRATE HER ENDURING LEGACY AS A TRUE PATERIOT. >> THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US THAT BREAKING NEWS. NOW WE WANT TO GO TO LAURA JARRETT WITH A LOOK BACK AT SANDRA DAY O’CONNOR’S LIFE AND LEGACY. >> KEEPING A CAMPAIGN PROMISE TO PUT THE FIRST WOMAN ON THE SUPREME COURT, RONALD REAGAN NOMINATED SANDRA DAY O’CONNOR IN 1981. THE DAUGHTER OF AN ARIZONA RANCHER, SHE CAME HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AS A CONSERVATIVE, SOUNDED LIKE ONE DURING HER CONFIRMATION HEARING. >> MY OWN VIEW IN THE AREA OF ABORTION IS THAT I AM OPPOSED TO IT AS A MATTER OF BIRTH CONTROL

OR OTHERWISE. >> Reporter: AS A JUSTICE, AT FIRST SHE CRITICIZED THE ROE VERSUS WADE ABORTION RULING BUT LATER JOINED THE MAJORITY IN A SERIES OF CASES UPHOLDING ABORTION RIGHTS IN THE ’90s. FZ AS THE FIRST FEMALE JUSTICE, HER EVERY ACTION WAS SCRUTINIZED. TENSION SHE WOULD LATER SAY WAS INTIMIDATING. >> IT’S THRILLING IN A WAY TO BE THE FIRST TO DO SOMETHING, THE FIRST WOMAN TO EVER SERVE ON THE COURT, BUT IT’S DREADFUL IF YOU’RE THE LAST, AND IF I DIDN’T DO THE JOB WELL, THAT’S WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. IS. >> Reporter: DURING HER 24 YEARS ON

THE COURT, O’CONNOR BECAME LESS TIED TO A SINGLE JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY. SHE WAS SOMETIMES WITH THE CONSERVATIVES APPROVING TAXPAYER FUNDED VOUCHERS FOR STUDENTS AT RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS, VOTING TO END THE 2000 FLORIDA RECOUNT BETWEEN GEORGE W. BUSH AND AL GORE, AND

ADVOCATING FOR STATES’ RIGHTS AGAINST FEDERAL CONTROL. >> THERE IS A ROLE THAT REMAINS FOR THE STATES, AND I AM A BELIEVER IN THAT DESIGNATED ROLE. >> Reporter: BUT SHE JOINED THE COURT’S LIBERALS IN UPHOLDING AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CREATING MORE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN VOTERS IN THE MAJORITY AND KEEPING A WALL OF SEPARATION BETWEEN

GOVERNMENT AND RELIGION. O’CONNOR WAS A FREQUENT GUEST AT WASHINGTON SOCIAL EVENTS OFTEN DANCING WITH HER HUSBAND JOHN AND MET WITH STUDENT GROUPS, ESPECIALLY YOUNG WOMEN AROUND THE COUNTRY. BUT AT AGE 75, SHE ABRUPTLY ANNOUNCED HER INTENTION TO STEP DOWN FOR HEALTH REASONS, NOT HERS BUT HER HUSBAND’S. SHE BECAME AN ADVOCATE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH. >> MY BELOVED HUSBAND JOHN SUFFERS FROM ALZHEIMER’S. HE’S HAD IT FOR A LONG TIME NOW, AND HE’S NOT IN VERY GOOD SHAPE. >> Reporter: JOHN O’CONNOR DIED AT AGE 79 IN 2009. SHE REMAINED ACTIVE URGING STATES TO DO AWAY WITH ELECTIONS FOR

JUDGES, WHICH SHE SAID MADE