Gene Hackman died of heart disease, his wife died of hantavirus about 1 week prior, authorities say

[demmiblue]

Source: AP

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities revealed Friday that actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease and showed severe signs of Alzheimer’s disease a full week after his wife died of hantavirus in their home.

Authorities initially ruled out foul play after the bodies were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative.

Chief Medical Investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell said it was possible that Hackman was not aware his wife was deceased in their home.

“Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer’s disease,” Jarrell said. “He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that’s what resulted in his death.”

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/gene-hackman-death-betsy-arakawa-investigation-c94b2cb4d5d7aec9a1a39a81b46dbdf9

[Strelnikov_]

1. Damn

[Strelnikov_]

6. Also, did not know Hanta virus was still around

When I lived in Santa Fe in the early 90’s, there was a number of cases on the Navajo Res. In NW NM.

[WestMichRad]

27. It'll be around nearly forever

As long as there are rodents, anyway.

[NotHardly]

29. another word for 'the plague',

https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/hcp/clinical-overview/index.html

[TexLaProgressive]

35. Plague is endemic in the South. West and it is a bacteria that can be treated with antibiotics

It is carried by rodents and their fleas. Hantavirus is generally passed from dried rodent urine that forms a dust that can be inhaled.

[valleyrogue]

63. Hantavirus is a virus, while bubonic plague is bacterial. They aren't the same. n/t

[Kali]

65. not hardly

[Baitball Blogger]

2. And the poor dog in the crate died of starvation?

What a tragic ending for a family that deserved so much better.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

15. Or possibly the carrier of the Hanta. A week is not enough to starve, though water might be a problem. . . . nt

[maxsolomon]

18. RuLe of threes

3 minutes without oxygen
3 days without water
3 weeks without food

Poor doggers.

[hlthe2b]

21. Dogs do not transmit hantavirus, nor do they become symptomatic. They can carry in an infected rodent

that could transmit via urine/feces. But, the poor dog likely died of dehydration in the kennel.

[Mountainguy]

70. Would have been two weeks

Because the wife was dead for atleast a week while he was oblivious to it in his mental state. Then he died and they were both dead in the house for another week. The dog was likely in the crate the entire time. Two weeks without food or water. Not survivable.

[Mike Nelson]

3. Very sad, but...

... I assume those health conditions and his wealth would mean they had some human helpers around. I would like to know when the last housekeeper, nurse, or relative checked up on them.

[exboyfil]

12. If the wife was in good health prior to suddenly dying

Then I could understand the delay. She was quite a bit younger than Mr. Hackman so she could have been the primary caregiver. Depending on how his Alzheimer's manifested, she might have felt she could go it alone in his care. I have to imagine he wanted privacy and perhaps she was respecting those wishes.

Still to drop the grid for two weeks is something.

[AdamGG]

72. It doesn't make sense unless she was functioning ok until sudden death

If Mrs. Hackman's condition had worsened to where she needed help for herself and for Gene Hackman's care, other caregivers would have been contacted. Both my parents had Alzheimer's and it's pretty end stage that he wasn't able to place some kind of call for help after seeing that his wife had died. It could be that if Mrs. Hackman only used a cell phone and they didn't have a land line that that contributed to it. Cell phones are harder to use for people with dementia, while just dialing zero on a land line is very basic.

[Silver Gaia]

26. Yes. Or what about family members or friends?

It seems to me that SOMEONE should have been checking on them every few days. That is the tragedy.

What makes me feel the worst is that poor caged dog who must have died from dehydration. What a horrible way to die, poor baby. Had someone checked on them in a reasonable manner, the dog might have lived even if they did not.

[CountAllVotes]

38. Similar to the situation here

I was caring for my late husband that had severe dementia.

No one called.

No one gave a fuck.

During the time he had the dementia, there were three infestations caused by him.

I didn't know it until he was gone that he was the reason for the infestations of:

1. moths
2. carpet beetles
3. silverfish

I am the one that dealt with the three infestations. They were due to filth on his part.

I remember towards the end, those beetles were hatching out on the rugs and he was screaming at me, "MAKE IT STOP!!".

I was trying to make it stop and in the end, after shampooing the rugs about 5X I managed to get rid of those.

The silverfish nest was next to where he sat day and night. I didn't notice it as it was hidden.

The moths were due to a huge house-wide infestation from wool carpets that he had improperly stored in the garage. We lost thousands of $$ worth of belongs in the moth outbreak.

It was a hell and I had no one to help me because no one cared.

It was a horrible time in our lives.

I hope he is resting in peace as I sure am not.

In fact, I am now exploring the option I have to leave the USA for good.

Dementia is a hell. A hell I never knew about.

[efhmc]

41. I am so sorry you had to bear this alone. Whatever is in your future I hope it contains some caring friends.

[CountAllVotes]

46. I was very isolated

Given his condition, no one would call or come around much as he didn't want anyone to come around.

I have made new friends since he died, all women.

Its been a very tough road to be walking on but I am still here.

Thank you for your kind wishes.

[LittleGirl]

48. I'm so sorry

My heart breaks for you. Honestly, my spouse is so private, I expect our end to be like you described. I'm so terribly sorry that everyone abandoned you. I know how that feels and worry that it will be like that for us.

my sincere condolences to you. sending cyber hugs today and always.

[CountAllVotes]

51. Thank you

I doubt I am alone. There are many more like me/us. You just never hear about it because many are so isolated.

I am getting out more these days.

I had dinner with a friend last week and we have plans to do that again very soon.

I have another friend that actually came to my house and was banging on the door when my phone was accidentally disconnected by AT&T!

She was very worried as the message was that the phone was disconnected. Period.

She has become a pretty good friend these days too. We try to HELP one another as she too is on her own living in a broke down van with her dog. How sad is this anyway?

[LittleGirl]

57. I'm glad she's been showing up

Her circumstances aren’t much better but sounds like she’s an empath. Keep her. Hold on. Do the same for her.

[IbogaProject]

68. Whew, I was fortunate my Mom was a good neighbor

So when she became feeble they kept an eye on her until I was able to coordinate care. So sorry for what you went through.

[Silver Gaia]

60. I am so sorry!

I am sure that wss a horrible time in your life.

[ellenrr]

79. I am very sorry.

My father cared for his 2nd wife until she died of alzheimers.
He refused to put her in a home.
and throughout- about 10 years - he was in his 80"s....

Dementia IS hell, I'm sorry for what you endured....

[greatauntoftriplets]

4. Such a tragedy, despite his age.

I wonder if the pills were to treat Arakawa's hantavirus. I find it sad that they lived without some kind of caregiver.

At least the mystery is revealed and it indeed was natural causes.

[hlthe2b]

7. Hantavirus is a rodent-born virus and there is no pill that would treat it.

If she had sought treatment with even mild respiratory symptoms, she would have been immediately hospitalized as it kills from fulminent pulmonary edema (essentially drowning in their own lung fluid). Caught earlier, it can be survivable but requires intensive intervention.

[greatauntoftriplets]

9. Thanks.

Immediately after I posted, I wondered if there was treatment for it or not because I didn't know. It's not a big thing in Chicago.

[hlthe2b]

11. No, fortunately...

[greatauntoftriplets]

13. I should have guessed because virus is in the name.

[hlthe2b]

17. It isn't so self-explanatory. Ironically University of New Mexico University hospital is quite experienced

in treating severe hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS)--among the first to use ECMO (a highly technological process where blood flow is redirected away from heart and lungs (to let the latter heal) through the femoral arteries and veins into a filtering membrane). That use was early on when HPS was first recognized, but it ended up becoming a treatment of last resort for COVID-19 a few years ago and other heart and lung conditions today. I did a lot of early work on HPS, so sometimes my "trivia meter" gets stuck. LOL

[greatauntoftriplets]

19. I've heard of ECMO.

Been watching Grey's Anatomy, and they mention it there, though not for hantavirus.

Good to know that scientists are working on ways to treat hantavirus.

[efhmc]

43. Thank you for this information. I had forgotten about this virus.

[hlthe2b]

5. Hantavirus Pulmonary syndrome does cause pulmonary edema but becomes signficant only just before

death in most people--so she might have been compensating for a day or two before it became quickly deadly. It appears that they have not yet tested the dog found dead near her, but while dogs can technically become infected, they remain asymptomatic and CAN NOT transmit directly to humans (albeit they can bring infected mice into the home--which can become a source through urine and feces).

It seems likely that Gene Hackman's Alzheimer's was so advanced that he may not have even known his wife was dead for the estimated 7 days prior to his own death that right now appears to be largely a consequence of heart disease/MI. If he was not able to drink fluids that would have contributed.


Sad and at least partially preventable sigh...

[LeftInTX]

32. Yeah, many are speculating that she was only last heard from on the 11th, but died a few days later.

She ran three errands on the 11th, got home around 5:15 and had some online activity later.

[CountAllVotes]

39. My husband lost the ability to breathe, swallow or speak

That was about two weeks before he died.

[hlthe2b]

54. Your husband died of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome? I am so sorry to hear. Where were you living?

[harumph]

8. Apparently no one was looking in on them.

I suppose there's a lesson for older people living alone. I mean he is listed as having 3 children by his previous marriage.
Such a needless tragedy.

[LisaL]

22. She wasn't that old.

She died from an infectious disease.

[John1956PA]

10. It seems that Mr. Hackman was unable, by himself, to sustain nutrition and hydration. n/t

[TBF]

61. Yes, very sad - and probably took heart meds too. nt

[Srkdqltr]

14. How awfully sad. They had money for help. Although she was younger and probably coping

Until she couldn't. Sad sad

[LisaL]

20. She died from an infectious disease.

NT

[Bengus81]

24. Hackman died they think a week before she did. He must have had severe dementia

It's horrible...........

[Liberty Belle]

31. No, he died a week after her. Apparently he was not able to care for himself

nor know enough to call for help.

She probably never knew she had Hantavirus; after she died he had no one to care for him.

Very sad, and a good lesson for everyone to be sure elderly parents have someone to check up on them daily.

[CountAllVotes]

40. I rarely hear from others

I'm on my own, elderly and disabled.

It is a very sad life at times, believe me.

[efhmc]

47. Count us in to hear from you. I use to do meals on wheels with my mother in Dallas and part of supplying nutrition

was also checking in/up on people. They all wanted to visit but sadly we had to get those meals delivered. Wonder if that program is still available.

[CountAllVotes]

49. Where I live it is frozen dinners

You have to show up in your car and get in line to get five of them.

I did it one time.

They were god awful, I kid you not!

I go to the Grocery Outlet and get what I can with the $23 in food stamps they gave me after he died.

I have very low blood sugar now and I'm supposed to be eating several small meals a day. What a sad joke that is!

[efhmc]

53. The info I got was from Texas and the program is still available in Austin, Dallas and SA.

[totodeinhere]

67. For now. If they get federal funds Musk will probably cut it. n/t

[Skittles]

71. we hear you

[Bengus81]

73. Your correct...duh,I typed it in just backwards. I just can't imagine he wandering around

there for a week and not really realizing she was dead or knowing what to do.

[mzmolly]

16. So very sad.

[LauraInLA]

23. Such a sad story. While reading I realized that my MIL and FIL were lucky not to share a similar fate.

They lived in a cottage in rural Ontario. She had severe dementia, and he was trying valiantly to care for her alone (difficult to get any help). He developed throat cancer which eventually led them to move to Ottawa for treatment — a care home for MIL while FIL underwent radiation, etc. it was a shock to everyone when he passed away there; he’d been in denial about his prognosis for some time. I can’t imagine what would have happened if he’d been stubborn and tried to stay in the cottage with her while undergoing treatment.

[efhmc]

50. No one wants to give up their freedom and admit they can not care for themselves.

[Rhiagel]

25. It's possible that she didn't know she had that particular virus.

They said the pills found were for her thyroid condition. The kids should have been checking on him at least through phone calls. If the records show they called with no answer, then you have to wonder why none of them came to the house to find out why. So sad for such unfortunate circumstances.

[Figarosmom]

28. Wow, thats sad.

She likely thought she had the flu or something since the symptoms are flu like. I wonder how she got something that is gotten by rodent infestation ( although New Mex is one of the states where it occurs). Hard to believe they didn't have some kind of help especially with his Alzheimer’s. Or that their home had a rodent infestation. That's really sad.

[LisaL]

30. The rodent infestation doesn't have to be in a home.

Deer mice live outside.

[maxsolomon]

34. Hantavirus is a concern when staying in trail shelters because of that.

I did a solo backpack on Lake Chelan where I got dropped off by the ferry. I didn't realize my tent had fallen off on the boat and had to stay in a trail shelter.

The guidebook I'd read even mentioned Hantavirus and that shelter. Although I didn't see droppings, I thought about it all night.

Next night I just rolled myself up in a tarp.

[CountAllVotes]

42. Or that their home had a rodent infestation

Bingo!

Nail on head I betcha!

[maxsolomon]

44. Or an outbuilding.

My sister has a giant woodpile inside an old garage/shed. I don't like going in there.

[cksmithy]

33. This is so sad.

Father in-law died from lewey body dementia, he had to have 24 hour care. You can get hantavirus while camping and just being outdoors. Yosemite has had hantavirus in their tent cabins in 2012 and 2024. I think it's fatality rate is 5 to 15%.

[CountAllVotes]

45. Vascular dementia

That's what I was dealing with.

I had never heard of it until I read those words on his death certificate!

Where the hell was everyone?

All of those nieces and nephews?

No where to be seen or heard from that is for certain.

It was just me, the three cats, himself and his severe dementia and my own disability!

SHAME!

I'll never stop being pissed! Who the hell wouldn't be pissed off forever being left with some one in such a horrific condition with a only a disabled wife to care for him?

[efhmc]

52. He probably was very private and didn't want people to know. May have even been very vehement about it when he was still

able.

[cstanleytech]

36. That'sn extremely sad thing to learn.

[Luciferous]

37. Very sad 😔

[JustAnotherGen]

55. That poor man

He probably had no idea what to do. No awareness.

Sorry - my mom died suddenly - and alone in June last year. I hope he wasn't scared.

[purr-rat beauty]

56. Oh man

Heartbreaking, so sad for their family

[Botany]

58. People get old and die

End of story. They died in each other’s graces. I hope there was little suffering.

Btw science works too. Smart people were able to I.D. what happened. I

[TBF]

59. Sad for the family -

I suppose it is good to have closure, and know that it was natural causes, but still a sad story.

[valleyrogue]

62. One of the saddest stories out there.

It sounds as if Gene never knew his wife and one of his dogs had died.

[Xipe Totec]

64. Very tragic. nt

[SarcasticSatyr]

66. Good Lord, that is tragic . . .

So, his wife suddenly died, and he probably didn't take any of his meds for heart disease for a week and that led to his death?

[moniss]

69. Given the narrative they have stated thus far I would

imagine she was caring for him and making sure he got his meds and when she got sick and died he didn't really know nor did he probably have awareness of missing taking his prescriptions. But it is sad that nobody was making the occasional phone call to check on them.

[Martin68]

74. This is a very sad story. It seems Hackman's wife died a week before he did. He had Alzheimer's, so one can only

speculate what happened between his wife's death and his own. It all feels rather intrusive, but I guess the facts must come out.

[twodogsbarking]

75. A shame all around, regardless of the details.

[republianmushroom]

76. And the dog ?

[Saoirse9]

77. Gene was not dehydrated according to the ME

He must have at least been drinking something. Maybe he was well enough to drink but not feed himself.

She was youngish and everyone thought she was able to care for him. I'm sure even she thought she could care for him without help.

I feel sorriest for the dog who probably starved to death.

[Mysterian]

80. Wife must have known she was seriously ill

Why didn't she get some help?