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Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead alongside their dog at their New Mexico home on February 26, 2025.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza initially released a statement to the Santa Fe New Mexican, via The Guardian, confirming the deaths: “We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday.”
The sheriff’s office also stated that “an active and ongoing investigation” into their deaths is underway. Hackman was 95 years old, and his wife was 63.
The actor retired in 2004 and mentioned that health issues were one of the reasons he decided to step away from his career. With the news of their deaths, learn more about Hackman’s health over the years below.
Gene Hackman’s Health
In 1990, at the age of 60, Hackman underwent an angioplasty, according to a report by the United Press International. Hackman had been experiencing chest pains that radiated down one of his arms while vacationing in Oregon. Doctors later revealed that he was only hours away from having a heart attack.
“We got him just in the nick of time,” Dr. Herbert Semler told UPI. “Fortunately for him, it was in a very excellent area that we could easily reach with a balloon catheter and dilate it.” Semler also noted that the narrowing of the artery, which caused the pain, was part of the natural aging process.
In 2004, Hackman made his final film appearance in Welcome to Mooseport alongside Ray Romano. In a 2008 interview, he confirmed his retirement to Reuters, but in a 2009 interview with Empire, he revealed that health issues played a significant role in his decision.
“The doctor advised me that my heart wasn’t in the kind of shape that I should be putting it under any stress,” Hackman explained.
In 2012, Hackman was airlifted to the hospital after being struck by a car while riding his bike in the Florida Keys, though he fortunately escaped with minor injuries, according to the Florida Highway Patrol, as reported by CNN.
What Is an Angioplasty?
An angioplasty is a medical procedure used to open blocked or narrowed blood vessels, typically arteries, to improve blood flow. It is commonly performed to treat coronary artery disease. During the procedure, a small balloon is inserted into the affected artery and inflated to widen it. In some cases, a stent (a small mesh tube) is placed to help keep the artery open. Angioplasty can help reduce the risk of heart attacks and other complications related to poor blood circulation.
How Did Gene Hackman Die?
Over a week after their deaths, the causes of death for Hackman and Arakawa were revealed, according to E! News. The outlet reported that surveillance footage of Arakawa is believed to have died on February 11, 2025, and her cause of death was hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is a severe respiratory illness transmitted through rodent urine, droppings and saliva.
Hackman’s pacemaker last showed activity on February 18, according to the medical investigator, suggesting he “probably died around February 18.” The investigator also noted that Hackman was in “a very poor state of health” at the time of his death and believes his heart disease likely contributed to his passing. His cause of death was determined to be hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD)—or hardening of the arteries—with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributing factor.
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