***Breaking *** Gene Hackman likely died of cardiovascular disease and his wife of hantavirus

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Per CNN

[mr715]

1. What about the dog?

NT

[BannonsLiver]

2. The dog was in a crate and almost certainly died from dehydration.

Hackman died a week after his wife and was also suffering from Alzheimer’s.

[mr715]

7. I guess that is the obvious answer.

And sad. Shouldn't have asked.

[BannonsLiver]

10. Yes the whole story is very sad.

[NJCher]

32. I heard the dog was in a bedroom

I hope that. I hate to think of a poor animal dying such a slow death.

I read this story on the WSJ. Hantavirus is spread by leafblowers, too.

It sounds like these two needed someone to stop by once a day to check on them. Their home is huge, if you've seen pics of it. I wonder what condition it was in on the inside, if this was hantavirus.

[BannonsLiver]

35. I read that the dog was in a crate in a closet connected to the bathroom.

Hantavirus is very scary, yes. I recently (late last year) cleaned out a storage unit and wore a respirator mask because I was worried about potential mouse droppings and hanta.

Also a good question about the condition of the house.

[Bluetus]

64. They say his Alz was advanced enough that he probably didn't know his wife had died

and that would explain not tending to the dog.

[mercuryblues]

4. If it was closed in a clost or kennel

most likely starved to death.

[mr715]

11. Sad

Terrible loss all around. I don't know why I'm so fixated on the dog.

[NJCher]

34. how about because

you love animals and want the best for them?

[mr715]

54. Yeah but humans are animals too

They're just helpless and innocent, so... yeah.

I love animals. Especially dogs. Also crows.

[Ms. Toad]

5. Necropsy not back yet -

But it was picked up from the vet the day Hackman's wife likely died.

[Clouds Passing]

62. They're doing a necropsy

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

[Ms. Toad]

3. Here's more info.

https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/gene-hackman-cause-of-death-betsy-arakawa-rcna195325

She likely died Feb 11; he likely died February 17. The dog had just been to the vet and (just my guess) was crated so it didn't injure itself while it was recovering - so it couldn't find free-range food like the other two.

[Frasier Balzov]

9. Days of living with a deceased wife?

They were not close?

[BannonsLiver]

12. He had Alzheimer's according to the report.

[dflprincess]

13. The link says Alzheimer's was a "significant contributing factor" to his death.

Which probably explains why he never called anyone or checked on the dog.

[underpants]

44. I'd guess she was his caregiver. See my Variety link below.

[LisaL]

14. Dementia.

NT

[Ms. Toad]

16. He had Alzheimers.

Her last outgoing text/phone message was Feb 11. His last recorded activity on his pacemaker was an event on Feb 18.

[underpants]

41. Variety link. The polls were for thyroid.

Gene Hackman Died of Heart Disease and Alzheimer’s a Week After Betsy Arakawa; Wife’s Cause of Death Determined to Be Hantavirus



At a news conference on Friday, Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza said that surveillance cameras showed that Arakawa did errands on Feb. 11, visiting Sprouts market and a CVS pharmacy. She also corresponded with a massage therapist by email that day.

https://variety.com/2025/film/news/gene-hackman-cause-of-death-died-week-after-wife-1236331489/

Her car entered the gated subdivision where the couple lived around 5:15 p.m. No activity or communications were found after that date.

Erin Phipps, the state public health veterinarian, said at the press conference that hantavirus infections are very rare. She said that out of 136 infections in the state over the last 50 years, 42% were fatal. The virus is typically transmitted through rodent excrement.

Phipps said there were signs of rodent entry in some of the buildings on the property, though the risk in the main house was “low.”


According to a search warrant affidavit, Arakawa was found dead on the bathroom floor. Pills were scattered on the countertop. At the press conference, Jarrell said the pills are thyroid medication that was being taken as prescribed.

[Scrivener7]

6. That paints a REALLY awful picture.

[LisaL]

15. It actually is very sad.

Sounds like she was taking care of him, and he had dementia. When she died, nobody would take care of him, and he couldn't take care of himself. So he died too.

[dalton99a]

17. +1

[Scrivener7]

19. But was on his own for a week with dementia while she was dead and the dog was dead or dying.

That poor soul.

[LisaL]

21. His dementia had to have reached a pretty severe state if he couldn't call for help amymore.

Very sad.

[malaise]

27. Remember he was 95

Real sad

[StarryNite]

8. Very sad.

I'm just glad it wasn't a murder or murder suicide.

[AStern]

18. I wonder if their kids were the ones that made the call to the authorities

So sad all around.

[LisaL]

22. From what was reported, call came from maintenance workers.

NT

[Yavin4]

20. Elder care and end of life care are major issues facing a lot of families.

Cutting Medicaid does not help.

[Meowmee]

23. Terrible

They should have had nurses etc coming in to care for/ check on them. I would assume they could have easily afforded that. They would all probably still be alive, including of course their poor dog.

More on Hanta virus… you need to get treatment immediately. It’s pretty serious. I presume she didn’t know what it was and didn’t seek treatment.

https://www.vanguardsv.com/2018/04/spring-cleaning-hantavirus/

[LisaL]

26. She wasn't that old, and presumably didn't expect to die any time soon.

NT

[Meowmee]

33. Yes but it's a big job to care for someone in their 90's

They could easily have had someone coming in to help. . That way they would’ve figured out that she was very ill and needed to get to the hospital and he would’ve got the care he needed.

Most wealthy people do have people coming to help with various things on a regular basis or have assistance, etc.. I assume they didn’t want that or maybe they weren’t that wealthy. I’m just making assumptions here because of his long career as an actor.

[LisaL]

38. I am not arguing with that would have been best for this situation.

But she wasn't that old, and presumably was taking care of him by herself without issue, until she got infected with a virus and passed.

[Meowmee]

47. Even younger people would need help to care for someone with all of his conditions.

Especially since they were obviously pretty wealthy… a lot of people wouldn’t be able to afford that but they probably would still have neighbors who would check in on them more quickly if they weren’t seen to be around, etc. And other family members / friends who would help/ come by etc.

[NJCher]

39. if you see a pic of their house

it is huge. Forgot the square footage, but the whole place was kinda' walled off. If he had Alzheimers he might not even have had the cognizance to look for her.

When my aunt died of dementia, she just quit eating and that is what led to her death. She was in assisted living. When I asked why she quit eating, I was told that the brain deteriorates enough that it fails to send hunger signals.

[Meowmee]

43. That is sad

I think the report said he died of cardiovascular disease though. So I’m presuming when she succumbed to the virus, and he was not taking his medication or being cared for etc.. If they had help coming in they both probably would’ve survived.

[onenote]

31. His wife was only 65.

[FakeNoose]

24. Nobody was checking on them? What a shame

For us older folks, it's smart to have a friend or relative you can check in with on a regular basis.

Take turns calling each other maybe once per day. If they don't answer their phone or return your call, keep checking until you get them. Something might be wrong, or maybe they've fallen. You just never know. Your call might save your friend's life.

[montanacowboy]

25. The wife had picked up

the dog at the vet where it had undergone a medical procedure and was told to keep it crated. My guess is she got back from the vet with the little dog crated had some sort of spell from the hantavirus and passed out while she was taking some medication. She died and Gene didn't know it he wandered around for days before dying himself by falling down.

My question is: why did they not have a housekeeper or someone that checked in on them living out in hell and gone, her with a medical condition and him with alzheimers and a bad heart. It's such a shame, so sorry for all of them.

[LisaL]

29. Her condition was an infectious disease and I presume she had no idea she had it.

NT

[Meowmee]

37. Yes agree

She needed help taking care of him, and if they had someone coming in on a regular basis, they probably would’ve discovered her and that she was very ill and gotten her the care she needed, etc., and taken care of him too, and the dog.

[LisaL]

42. She might have not needed help until she got an infection and died.

Obviously she took care of him without an issue until she got a virus and died.

[Meowmee]

49. I don't think one person can take care of someone with all of those conditions

Especially Alzheimer’s towards the end. It is certainly not a one person job. someone in our neighborhood was doing that apparently taking care of his wife and he ended up shooting her and then committing suicide, that was probably for different reasons.

Also, people can become ill / die at any age for any reason and if you’re isolated and don’t have anybody paying attention, you might not be discovered in time to save you etc.

[LisaL]

56. She was presumably doing it before she got infected with a virus and died.

NT

[Meowmee]

57. Yes and obviously it was not a good idea

Because look what happened. Now they are all dead. If they just had some help coming in once a day that wouldn’t have happened most likely.

[Tree Lady]

71. Thats the part I wondered too

they obviously had money you would think they would have had housekeeper or cook, unless they had bad experiences with people leaking info to press.

[LeftInTX]

28. Wow! Sounds like it was never diagnosed in her?

(Unless it was and it wasn't made public)

[LisaL]

30. It's an infectious disease.

I sincerely doubt she knew she had it. It initially has a flu like symptoms. Maybe she thought she had a cold or a flu, until it was too late.
"Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a rare infectious disease that begins with flu-like symptoms and progresses rapidly to more severe disease. It can lead to life-threatening lung and heart problems. The disease is also called hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome."

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hantavirus-pulmonary-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351838

[Meowmee]

40. She probably didn't know what it was

It’s very serious and I think you have to get treatment in a hospital.. she probably just succumbed to it without even realizing she had a serious virus. It can cause a respiratory syndrome, which can kill you quickly.

[LisaL]

48. As far as I can tell, the only treatment is supportive care.

I don't think she had any idea she had it, but likely she wasn't feeling well.
https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/about/index.html

[Meowmee]

51. Yes by treatment I meant supportive care

One site I found said they do use an antiviral as well.

[bucolic_frolic]

36. Wow. Well you have to go with the evidence and facts but that's a hard duo to assemble.

[a kennedy]

45. Just very sad circumstances....

RIP all three.

[LAS14]

46. How does one get hanta virus in this country? nt

[Ritabert]

50. It's rare but not unprecedented in the West

Last edited Fri Mar 7, 2025, 09:25 PM - Edit history (1)

Deer mice are all over and they get into houses , garages and storage buildings. All it takes is sweeping up rodent droppings to get it airborne.

[marybourg]

52. It's New Mexico. Bubonic Plague is not

unheard of there.

[mr715]

55. Armadillos being the vector, right?

nt

[marybourg]

58. Rodents.

[LeftInTX]

67. Armadillos carry leprosy.

[mr715]

70. I always confuse leprosy and plague

I'm a bad biologist. I need to go to a physick to get my humours adjusted

[wishstar]

63. There were deaths from hanta at Yosemite a few years ago at the tent cabins

from mice or rats.

[Meowmee]

65. People get infected by rodents who have it

Either by inhalation of the virus from droppings/urine/saliva. or by direct contact with urine/droppings/saliva or by being bitten or scratched by a rodent who has it, which is less common. It apparently can take quite a while before it gets to the phase where you are symptomatic to the point where you would realize it is serious and it can then kill you quickly with respiratory syndrome or hemorrhagic fever.

Pet rats and mice can also have it. People who do pest removal are more at risk due to contact.

It is pretty rare though. I looked it up and there are some strains in NY it is not just in the West.

Here are links on Hantavirus.

https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/about/index.html#:~:text=People%20get%20hantavirus%20from%20contact,rodent%2C%20but%20this%20is%20rare.



https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5109a1.htm#:~:text=However%2C%20in%20North%20America%2C%20the,in%201993%20(Figure%202).

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3840873/

Severity of the Virus and Disease:

"The severity of the disease varies depending on the virus causing the infection. Hantaan and Dobrava virus infections usually cause severe symptoms where 5-15% of cases are fatal. In contrast, Seoul, Saaremaa, and Puumala virus infections are usually more moderate with less than 1% dying from the disease. Complete recovery can take several weeks to months."

https://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/pest-health-hub/diseases-spread-by-nuisance-wildlife/#:~:text=Unlike%20the%20plague%20or%20rabies,recognized%20in%20the%20United%20States.

[womanofthehills]

68. In Santa Fe County where she lived - no cases for 5 yrs

People can get it sweeping up a shed with deer mouse droppings - You need to always spray something like Clorox on mouse droppings before you sweep. A report said they had a lot of outbuildings.

A local college girl out here in Torrance county NM died a few yrs ago from hantavirus. A guest apple ranch hired her to clean cabins that were vacant all winter. They did not give her a respirator or spray down mouse droppings. Her mom said they thought she had the flu for a week - she collapsed and died in the shower. It was horrible- the mom was a teller at our local bank - and for months could be seen crying over her daughter’s grave.

I have so many mice -and deer mice. I trap them constantly in my car and out buildings. I always spray Clorox before I sweep. I have electronic mouse traps in my car and catch a mouse almost every night. Hantavirus is often on my mind.

[Rhiagel]

53. I thought the hospital or doctor could monitor the pacemaker remotely.

He was found 8 days later. They must have had some kind of internet connection as his wife emailed the massage therapist. The pacemaker should have signaled to someone that help was needed.

[Meowmee]

66. Apparently it doesn't alert 911 in an emergency etc. you need medical alert devices for that

My father had a pacemaker for many years and it was only monitored when he did it at home, and when he went to the cardiologist/ doctor etc.

I found this which says it monitors pacemakers and other implanted devices remotely but it only sends data at specific times, it is not continuous.

https://www.bostonscientific.com/en-US/patients-caregivers/device-support/remote-monitoring-system/how-remote-monitoring-system-works.html

[Rhiagel]

69. I see. He might have had a medical alert device but in his deteriorating state of mind...

...he probably didn't know how to use it or even what it was for.

[Meowmee]

72. I can't remember how they work

But I think it might be auto alerted if you fall etc. I have to look it up.

[JoseBalow]

59. He didn't deserve that

[Xavier Breath]

61. I was about to say "Nobody does," but then I started assembling a list of very deserving candidates in my head.

[Beringia]

60. I wondered what the final outcome was