Gene Hackman's wife made fatal error in last days of her life before couple died at home

Irish Daily Star

28-04-2025

Betsy Arakawa,
Gene Hackman's
wife, made one fatal error before their deaths in February, according to a friend of the couple.
Correspondent Tara Brown with 60 Minutes Australia delivered a heart-wrenching report on their final days, detailing the
tragic events leading up to their deaths
. It has been nearly twenty years since Hackman chose to step away from the limelight over health concerns, but their quiet life came to a shocking end two months ago.
They were discovered deceased in their home in February, along with
one of their cherished pets
. The
autopsy of Hackman was recently revealed
, as he died from severe heart disease with complications from Alzheimer's disease.
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In the recent segment, Tara delved into their last moments through conversations with friends who were close to them.
Doug Lanham, a dear friend and past business associate of Hackman, was visibly emotional as he recounted the couple's passing. Tom Allin, another intimate friend, expressed his worries about the fatal mistake Betsy made that preceded their tragic fate.
The conclusive autopsy reports indicated that Gene suffered from "a 'history of congestive heart failure" and had "severe chronic hypertensive changes, kidneys." Since April 2019, the actor had been living with a "bi-ventricular pacemaker" and showed "neurodegenerative features consistent with Alzheimer's Disease."
Gene Hackman's close friend Doug Lanham appeared on 60 Minutes
(Image: (Image: YOUTUBE))
Betsy, who passed away at 65 just a week prior to her husband, had fallen victim to Hantavirus - a deadly illness transmitted by rats, through their urine, saliva, and feces, reports
the Express
.
This lethal infection often starts off resembling severe flu symptoms but can quickly escalate to acute respiratory distress.
Allin revealed the tragic mistake Betsy made during her sudden illness, stating: "It was hard reading about it because at a certain point it's fatal."
Close friend of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa, Tom Allin, spoke out
(Image: (Image: YOUTUBE))
He added: "I mean, she needed care four to five days earlier—immediate care, emergency care—and unfortunately, she didn't realize the situation."
In a touching moment, Gene's close pal Doug couldn't hold back his tears while reminiscing about their bond.
"[Gene] was a big prankster," he said through sobs. "He just loved playing jokes on me. He was like a kid."
Tom spoke fondly of the Oscar-winning actor's marriage, noting: "They were an example of a couple who really cared for each other. I think they really got a lot out of life.
"For us, it was a relationship with Gene and Betsy but not a movie star."
A document accessed by DailyMail.com showed that Betsy had bookmarks on her computer indicating she may have been looking up medical conditions with symptoms akin to Covid-19 or the flu before she passed away.
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