Gene Hackman died of heart disease, his wife died of hantavirus 1 week earlier(wfsb.com)
wfsb.com
Gene Hackman died of heart disease, his wife died of hantavirus 1 week earlier
https://www.wfsb.com/2025/03/07/investigation-advances-into-gene-hackmans-mysterious-death-with-update-by-authorities/
10 comments
This is tragic and painful to imagine. He was suffering severely from Alzheimer's. The dog was in the crate. The wife collapsed and died from hantavirus infection all while he was walking around and didn't notice? It's quite terrifying if this is how vulnerable people with Alzheimer's are in their own homes.
This feels very hand wavey to me.
So she feels progressively ill and then dies, all without ever seeking medical attention? I suppose they assume it was acute / she collapsed, but it still seems unusual. She's only 65 remember.
But then Gene's just walking around the house for a week? With his dead wife in the bathroom and a barking dog in a crate??
I haven't dealt with Alzheimer's but you're telling me it's possible to be functional enough to eat and sleep for a week, but not know that your wife is dead and the barking dog needs food and water? And you don't ever seek help or outside assistance?
And then, coincidentally, you also die of a heart attack.
Just seems far fetched to me.
Edit: I guess at 95 he might have mobility issues, so maybe he couldn't call for help? Idk still seems odd.
So she feels progressively ill and then dies, all without ever seeking medical attention? I suppose they assume it was acute / she collapsed, but it still seems unusual. She's only 65 remember.
But then Gene's just walking around the house for a week? With his dead wife in the bathroom and a barking dog in a crate??
I haven't dealt with Alzheimer's but you're telling me it's possible to be functional enough to eat and sleep for a week, but not know that your wife is dead and the barking dog needs food and water? And you don't ever seek help or outside assistance?
And then, coincidentally, you also die of a heart attack.
Just seems far fetched to me.
Edit: I guess at 95 he might have mobility issues, so maybe he couldn't call for help? Idk still seems odd.
> you're telling me it's possible to be functional enough to eat and sleep for a week, but not know that your wife is dead and the barking dog needs food and water
Absolutely, in late stages of Alzheimers you’re a vegetable, but basic bodily functions still work to some degree.
Absolutely, in late stages of Alzheimers you’re a vegetable, but basic bodily functions still work to some degree.
Well that's unfortunate. Although I still don't understand why she wouldn't have sought medical attention as her own condition worsened, but I suppose that's at least conceivable.
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome starts with flu-like symptoms that are easy to write off as not requiring medical attention. Once symptoms worsen, it can be fatal in mere hours.
And the dog?
Was shut in a crate. Probably died of dehydration. Pretty awful. All dog crates ought to come with a mechanical timer mechanism to automatically unlatch them if they're left unattended for too long.
The dog that died was kept in a crate.
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