Gene Hackman, the legendary actor known for The French Connection and Unforgiven, once told a close friend that he "would have died long ago" without his wife, Betsy Arakawa, by his side. The revelation, shared by longtime friend Tom Allin, comes after the couple was found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home on February 26.
Allin, who had known Hackman for 20 years, said the actor relied on his wife for care and daily life. "She was very protective of him," Allin told The New York Times, recalling how she took charge of his schedule, arranged golf outings, and ensured he followed a healthy diet. He recounted a moment during Hackman's 90th birthday celebration in 2020 when Arakawa discreetly mixed soda water into his wine to limit his alcohol intake.
Authorities confirmed Friday that Arakawa, 65, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare and often fatal virus spread through rodent droppings. Hackman, 95, passed away days later due to severe heart disease, high blood pressure, and advanced Alzheimer's. Officials believe he was unaware of his wife's death and survived alone in their home for nearly a week.
Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Arakawa's last known email was sent on February 11, suggesting she died shortly after. The last recorded activity from Hackman's pacemaker occurred on February 17, leading officials to conclude he likely died the following day.
Dr. Michael Baden, a forensic pathologist, suggested that Hackman's cognitive decline prevented him from understanding that his wife had passed. "He didn't realize it and... didn't understand that she was dead," Baden told Fox News Digital. "He probably couldn't cook anything, but could eat bread or something if he was hungry."
The couple was discovered when a pest control worker, unable to get a response from the home, alerted a neighborhood security officer, who then called 911. Authorities found Hackman in a mudroom, while Arakawa was in a bathroom near a space heater and scattered pills.
Their dog, Zinna, was found dead in a closet, just feet from Arakawa, while two other dogs were found alive on the property. A necropsy is being conducted to determine the cause of Zinna's death.
Hackman, who won two Academy Awards, had lived a quiet life with Arakawa in New Mexico since the 1990s. The couple met in Los Angeles while she was working at a gym and pursuing a career in classical music. They married in 1991, with Arakawa becoming both his partner and caretaker in his later years.
"She just really looked after him," Allin said, reflecting on the devotion Arakawa showed to her husband. Her care, he believes, extended Hackman's life far beyond what it might have been otherwise.
