Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s Mysterious Deaths: A Tragic End to a Private Life
The sudden and mysterious deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, have left their community in shock. The couple’s bodies were found in their Santa Fe home, with Arakawa succumbing to a rare and deadly disease, hantavirus, and Hackman dying of cardiovascular disease complicated by advanced Alzheimer’s.
A Devoted Couple’s Final Days
Arakawa, 65, was seen in public for the last time on February 11, wearing a mask while shopping at a CVS Pharmacy. Unbeknownst to her, she was already infected with the hantavirus, which would claim her life within hours.
A Rare and Deadly Disease
The hantavirus is a rare but potentially lethal disease spread by rodents. Humans contract it by breathing in aerosolized urine, feces, or saliva from an infected rodent. Arakawa’s death was likely caused by the virus, which attacked her lungs and led to her rapid decline.