Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, had reportedly researched COVID symptoms and considered seeking medical care for her husband in the days before she died, an investigation by New Mexico officials revealed.
New Mexico’s chief medical investigator said on March 7 that Arakawa, 65, died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome while Hackman, 95, died of heart disease some days later, with advanced Alzheimer’s disease contributing.
Hantavirus is a rare but potentially fatal disease spread by infected rodent droppings. It spreads through rat and mouse urine or droppings, and it starts with flu-like symptoms — headaches and dizziness, which can quickly turn into serious respiratory distress.
So she may have been experiencing similar symptoms to Gene at the time, TMZ reported.
The investigation report obtained by TMZ revealed tragic, new details about what Arakawa did between February 8 and 12 — the day she likely succumbed to a rare, rodent-borne illness, leaving her ailing husband alone and helpless.
According to the New York Post, Internet browsing history, call logs, voicemails, and security footage from stores Arakawa visited showed that she had researched whether COVID could cause symptoms like nosebleeds and dizziness.
In an email to her masseuse, she said Hackman woke up February 11 with flu or cold-like symptoms. The emails also revealed that Arakawa delayed an appointment due to flu-like symptoms.
Arakawa gave her husband a COVID test, which came back negative. Her history also showed she purchased several Boost Oxygen canisters on February 11.
Her search history on the morning of February 12 showed she was looking into a medical concierge service in Santa Fe. A call with the service lasted less than two minutes, and she missed a return call later that afternoon, according to investigators.
Authorities believe Arakawa died of hantavirus shortly after making the search and that Hackman died one week later — around February 17 or 18 — from his advanced Alzheimer’s disease and heart complications.
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