Gene Hackman and wife found dead

Aunt Bea said:
It’s odd to me that such wealthy high profile people were able to maintain that level of privacy.

I guess I’ve always thought that there would be servants, secretaries, publicists, delivery people, etc… buzzing about on a daily basis.

It’s sad but I still think that I would prefer it to a hospital or nursing home.

It may seem wrong but I feel especially bad for the poor dog.
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It does seem odd that no friend or relative would wonder what happened to them over that period of time. Perhaps, they had cut themselves off from others over time? Supposedly, he had three children from a previous marriage. I don't know. In any case all of us should make sure we have somebody who will raise an alarm if we suddenly seem to have fallen off the face of the earth. Somebody who is not living with us, that is.
 

I knew I recognized the disease, Hantavirus. When I was working in Chester, I was called to do a welfare check of an 81 y/o man living alone in Chester County. His neighbor hadn’t seen him for a few days. I ended up having to force my way into his home, which was in very bad disrepair, and I found him lying in his bed.

The coroner estimated his death as 4 days prior. He was swollen, so I knew he had been lying in bed for awhile. The coroner did an autopsy and the coroner said he had a coronary edema. A few days later, the blood test report was finished and the coroner called me to say that he is changing the cause to HPS.

When I had originally entered the deceased’s home, I never noticed any droppings, but the CSI team did find some droppings. That must be a heck of a way to die. According to the coroner, the deceased was probably very ill before death and just stayed in bed. There was a bottle of Tylenol and a bottle of water on his nightstand.
 
911 said:
I knew I recognized the disease, Hantavirus. When I was working in Chester, I was called to do a welfare check of an 81 y/o man living alone in Chester County. His neighbor hadn’t seen him for a few days. I ended up having to force my way into his home, which was in very bad disrepair, and I found him lying in his bed.

The coroner estimated his death as 4 days prior. He was swollen, so I knew he had been lying in bed for awhile. The coroner did an autopsy and the coroner said he had a coronary edema. A few days later, the blood test report was finished and the coroner called me to say that he is changing the cause to HPS.

When I had originally entered the deceased’s home, I never noticed any droppings, but the CSI team did find some droppings. That must be a heck of a way to die. According to the coroner, the deceased was probably very ill before death and just stayed in bed. There was a bottle of Tylenol and a bottle of water on his nightstand.
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I would have lasted tops a week as a State Trooper because no way I could do things like this and stay on the job , just to much mentally .
 
Copied this from Apple News Today ****in relation to the dog in the cage

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Arakawa had picked up one of her dogs in a crate on February 9 from a Santa Fe veterinarian, which may explain why the animal was found dead in the crate in the couple's home on February 26, Mendoza said. State Veterinarian Erin Phipps said the dog may have died of starvation.
 
OMG - this is getting sadder and sadder and a little more macabre? such loving individuals who seemingly adored each other and died together in loneliness? (review: NO didn't die together in loneliness - at different dates and times?}
 
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it would seem that we are in fact surrounded everyday in everyway by death? I wonder whether they were happy together in this way towards the end?
 
I picture poor Gene thinking," I wonder where she's been I haven't seen her all day," then going looking for her, getting distracted and forgetting what he started out for, rinse repeat, for days on end.

The dog would have died of thirst long before he starved. Just the saddest thing all around.

I watch "Hoarders," and I've heard the professional cleaners and psychologists talk about the dangers of hantavirus in show after show -- I never realized it was that bad.
 
Della said:
I picture poor Gene thinking," I wonder where she's been I haven't seen her all day," then going looking for her, getting distracted and forgetting what he started out for, rinse repeat, for days on end.

The dog would have died of thirst long before he starved. Just the saddest thing all around.

I watch "Hoarders," and I've heard the professional cleaners and psychologists talk about the dangers of hantavirus in show after show -- I never realized it was that bad.
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I've never even heard of Hantavirus, until now....gosh.. how horrible.. and I'm the same as you Della.. I was thinking poor Gene he'd probably been wandering for days looking for his wife over and over again, ..they say there was no food in his stomach so he wouldn't have known to eat... so tragic..so sad !
 
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There's speculation it came from the home's garage where they did find some droppings but none in the house. She or the dogs could've tracked it in on their feet and when she handled the dog or her shoes it might have spread.

If she cleaned the garage recently it could've stirred up the virus or particulate matter which she handled or breathed in.

This is where a care taker there more regularity might have helped because regular activity around the property helps keep some critters away. But if they were going days with minimal activity that's when they start coming in. A care taker might have noticed their condition and got them help.
 
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with all due deference and respect to the deceased - there are obviously so many lessons that could and should be learned for all of us in not so dissimilar situations??
 
Kadee said:
Copied this from Apple News Today ****in relation to the dog in the cage

****
Arakawa had picked up one of her dogs in a crate on February 9 from a Santa Fe veterinarian, which may explain why the animal was found dead in the crate in the couple's home on February 26, Mendoza said. State Veterinarian Erin Phipps said the dog may have died of starvation.
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Yeah the dog's circumstance was the most puzzling to me. So the visit to the vet with the advice to keep the dog caged to aid recovery makes sense.

What a tragic mystery case this whole thing has been. I don't think anyone could have guessed the train of events. The official story sounds about right though.
 
911 said:
I knew I recognized the disease, Hantavirus. When I was working in Chester, I was called to do a welfare check of an 81 y/o man living alone in Chester County. His neighbor hadn’t seen him for a few days. I ended up having to force my way into his home, which was in very bad disrepair, and I found him lying in his bed.

The coroner estimated his death as 4 days prior. He was swollen, so I knew he had been lying in bed for awhile. The coroner did an autopsy and the coroner said he had a coronary edema. A few days later, the blood test report was finished and the coroner called me to say that he is changing the cause to HPS.

When I had originally entered the deceased’s home, I never noticed any droppings, but the CSI team did find some droppings. That must be a heck of a way to die. According to the coroner, the deceased was probably very ill before death and just stayed in bed. There was a bottle of Tylenol and a bottle of water on his nightstand.
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HPS?
 
I am amazed that no one checked up on Mr. And Mrs. Hackman. So was his wife the sole caretaker? No Visiting Angels? His kids didn’t call? Her friends didn’t notice that she didn’t return their calls? Assuming they had close friends, of course. Because if I don’t show up for bridge or Mah jongg, I’m getting a call. And then the thought that she predeceased him by almost a week, and there he is wandering about the house with no clue…. I mean, who fed him? And…um…other personal things, considering his mental state? I can’t even imagine. The whole scenario creeps me out.
 
they may have become complete recluses refusing contact with anyone? - these details will I think emerge gradually?
 

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