Gene Hackman's wife died of hantavirus;
actor died of cardiovascular disease,
Alzheimer's: Officials
ABC News,
by
Emily Shapiro
Original Article
Posted By: Dreadnought,
3/7/2025 6:55:34 PM
The causes of deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were revealed by officials on Friday, more than one week after the couple was mysteriously found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home.
Hackman, 95, died of cardiovascular and Alzheimer's disease likely around Feb. 18, about one week after his wife died from a rare syndrome, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, on about Feb. 11, officials said. Hackman's death was from "hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer's disease as a significant contributory factor," Dr. Heather Jarrell, chief medical investigator for the state's Office of the Medical Investigator, announced at a news conference.
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Reply 1 - Posted by:
JoElla Bee 3/7/2025 7:26:59 PM (No. 1910854)
So heartbreakingly sad to think that she was likely his caretaker, and he was left alone for that length of time without understanding what had happened or what to do. Prayers of condolences for their family and friends.
Their work is left to appreciate and enjoy.
33 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
DVC 3/7/2025 7:32:00 PM (No. 1910855)
A very sad thing. He apparently died a week later, very possibly unaware that she was dead, or at least unable to figure out what to do, if he knew.
A sad thing, all around.
29 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
Jesuslover54 3/7/2025 8:09:38 PM (No. 1910873)
Totally different from what I might have expected, but that's science.
Sad end for both.
But what about the dog?
7 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
erod111 3/7/2025 8:10:09 PM (No. 1910874)
Absolutely shocking to think that he was wandering around the house for a week while she lay dead in the bathroom. How did he even survive so long? What did he eat, drink? And what about all the other personal daily routines.
6 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
Sully 3/7/2025 8:16:39 PM (No. 1910880)
Shocked that they had no outside caretaker help. Just a hard working wife who never dreamed she'd go first. Sad situation.
17 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
SweetPea3 3/7/2025 8:27:10 PM (No. 1910886)
The article said the dog possibly died from lack of access to food and water. A horrible way to go, poor thing. Tragic all the way around.
11 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
LC Chihuahua 3/7/2025 9:33:51 PM (No. 1910915)
Bodies were found on 2/26. That means it took roughly 15 days for someone to notice something wrong. Sad. It's not unusual for people to leave home for 2 or 3 weeks without notifying everyone. Let the mail pile up. If one worked, put up a vacation notice. Maybe tell a neighbor. Wonder who last saw Gene Hackman alive. It's possible he ran into someone, but never said anything.
2 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
earlybird 3/7/2025 9:45:38 PM (No. 1910923)
A look at their home sjows that it is remote. Not in what most here woild call a "nejghborhood.
3 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
Catherine 3/7/2025 9:46:25 PM (No. 1910924)
Sorry, I'm not buying this story about hantavirus. What did the bottle of scattered pills mean? What about the caves found under his house with all sorts of 'stuff' in it, some dating back a long time. He looked too frail in the picture of them walking, with his hand gripping her arm, to have wandered around for a week before collapsing. But whatever happened, what a sad way for both to go.
5 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
DVC 3/7/2025 11:23:45 PM (No. 1910964)
Re #3. The lead officer said that the dog had been "picked up from the vet after a procedure", and apparently that was why it was in the kennel. Tgey are going to do a necropsy on the dog. Seems likely dehydration in that very dry climate may be be likely.
3 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
DVC 3/7/2025 11:37:03 PM (No. 1910969)
Re #9, the pills were routine thyroid medication, not related to her death.
Santa Fe is at an altitude above 7,000 feet above sea level. Hantavirus gives symptoms like flu, with lung impairment. Apparently she happened to be about to take her medicine when she collapsed. If you've never lived at high altitude, you may be surprised at the shortness of breath. Add in lung impairment and this is not surprising. We have a remote cabin about two hours north of Sante Fe, also at high altitude and numerous neighbors have had to give up living at their homes as they aged after living there for years, due to reduced ability to handle the altitude.
She was 65. Some people do not handle altitude as well as others to start with, perhaps she was one.
6 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
robertthomason 3/8/2025 1:05:45 AM (No. 1910991)
Makes you sad all over.
1 person likes this.
Clearly no friends or relatives were calling on a regular basis.
1 person likes this.
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