Gistfox Your News Window To The World 
Related Articles
The final autopsy report on the late Hollywood legend Gene Hackman has been released. It shows that the Oscar winner faced a devastating battle before his passing.
The French Connection star and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their New Mexico residence in February.
It was also gathered that Hackman, 95, died just days after the sudden passing of his spouse.
Two months later, new details from the autopsy show that the ageing movie star grappled with serious illness and unimaginable loss.
Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa Per medical records released by the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, Hackman suffered from a series of life-threatening health problems, including severe heart disease, chronic kidney failure, and advanced Alzheimer’s disease.
According to the autopsy, the Hollywood icon had a “bi-ventricular pacemaker” fitted since April 2019 and was living with “neurodegenerative features consistent with Alzheimer’s Disease.”
The report stated that the cause of death was severe atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s and kidney disease contributing.
The findings also suggest that Hackman may have spent almost a week wandering their home alone after his wife’s death, never realising she had passed away.
65-year-old Arakawa died first, around February 12, from respiratory failure caused by hantavirus, a rare and deadly illness contracted through exposure to rodent droppings and saliva.
Health officials discovered that the couple’s home had become a “breeding ground” for rodents, with dead animals, nests, and droppings found across eight detached outbuildings, garages, sheds, and even inside cars.
The New Mexico Department of Public Health finally concluded that the infestation likely posed a serious risk to Betsy and anyone else who entered the property.
As for Hackman, his autopsy ruled out hantavirus as a cause of death, as he tested negative for the virus that killed his wife.
His demise was attributed to the weight of his long-term illnesses that ultimately overcame him.
Other findings included small amounts of acetone in Gene’s blood, which, according to doctors, could be explained by “diabetic- and fasting-induced ketoacidosis”.
The above is a sign that Gene, who was likely confused and grieving, may not have been eating properly in his last days.
