Gene Hackman dead at 95: Iconic actor and wife, 63, are found dead with their dog at Santa Fe home. #3

[SophieRose]

It’s no wonder that Gene and Betsy kept their life private and out of the public eye.

Would you really want to see Gene with advanced Alzheimer’s having his picture on the cover of the tabloid?

The actor Robert Loggia had Alzheimer's Disease the last five years of his life and there were actually pictures and videos taken on the streets the last year of his life. I couldn't believe it when I saw them. Hard to believe how long ago that was, time goes by fast. He died in 2015 at the age of 85.

 

[Warwick7]

Interesting article with small tidbits of new information.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1898667619865006113

 

[HoneyBunOne]

Interesting article with small tidbits of new information.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1898667619865006113

Yes, a few extra titbits of information, but a touch sensationalized too I feel. So Zinna had "major surgery" and vet advise was to keep her crated. Betsy failed to pick up items from the vet, although she was usually very reliable. One of the other dogs led first responders to Gene. It also seems the virus may have attacked and killed her quite quickly - whether that be on the 11th or later on. The article states:

"Mertz said he was treating a patient once with hantavirus at University of New Mexico Hospital. The patient was sitting on a hospital bed and began complaining about feeling ill. Their blood pressure dropped and they went into shock, he said. Within 20 minutes, the patient was dead."

 

[Cherwell]

Yes, a few extra titbits of information, but a touch sensationalized too I feel. So Zinna had "major surgery" and vet advise was to keep her crated. Betsy failed to pick up items from the vet, although she was usually very reliable. One of the other dogs led first responders to Gene. It also seems the virus may have attacked and killed her quite quickly - whether that be on the 11th or later on. The article states:

"Mertz said he was treating a patient once with hantavirus at University of New Mexico Hospital. The patient was sitting on a hospital bed and began complaining about feeling ill. Their blood pressure dropped and they went into shock, he said. Within 20 minutes, the patient was dead."

But we don't know how long that patient had been ill. They were already in hospital.

Again , this article states as fact that Betsy died seven days before Gene. That is NOT a known fact but the irresponsibility of the media reporting has set this in stone.

 

[Cherwell]

They have to have had a look at their phones by now. I understand that they have to go through proper procedures but it would be odd to reference the 11th as the last digital activity without looking at the phone. What if it was the 14th? It would be awkward and a bit creepy if they had to offer a correction after finding out that the last phone call was the 14th. They avoid being wrong at all cost.

I believe it takes a while to get the phone companies to allow access.
But if there was found to be activity after the 11th, it wouldn't be "awkward" and certainly not "creepy".
They have only ever said that Betsy was last known to be alive on the 11th, so they would just update that to allow for new evidence. It wouldn't mean they were wrong.

They have been very careful not to say that Betsy died on the 11th. Unfortunately that has gone over most people's heads, abetted by careless and irresponsible reporting.

 

[ClearAhead]

<modsnip - quoted post was removed (bickering/personalizing)

Nobody has a source to the ME stating Betsy died on Feb 11th. Being known to have been alive on that date does not prove she died that day.

What the ME stated is the deadly progression of the final phases of the disease lasts three to six days when the lungs fill with fluid, death coming in 24 to 48 hours. So that being said, it cannot be expected the ME is able to determine an exact date of dead. Considering the advanced decomposition of the body when it was discovered, that’s not unusual.

 

[NuttMegg]

Nobody has a source to the ME stating Betsy died on Feb 11th. Being known to have been alive on that date does not prove she died that day.

What the ME stated is the deadly progression of the final phases of the disease lasts three to six days when the lungs fill with fluid, death coming in 24 to 48 hours. So that being said, it cannot be expected the ME is able to determine an exact date of dead. Considering the advanced decomposition of the body when it was discovered, that’s not unusual.

And we'll never know, unless there was cell phone activity. I don't see how Zinna's necropsy will shed any light.

RIP Gene and lovely Betsy. And poor little Zinna who was loved.

 

[priyaya]

For those upset by the thought of Gene being alone
I did find comfort in the USA Today article posted above about the dog (i assume Bear) that led the searchers to Gene
I fully believe that dog, at least, was fully taking care of Gene while Becky couldn't.

"As they searched, one of the couple’s dogs kept running up to them, barking and running off in a different direction, he said. At first, paramedics thought the dog wanted to play. Then, they realized it wanted them to follow."

 

[ClearAhead]

And we'll never know, unless there was cell phone activity. I don't see how Zinna's necropsy will shed any light.

RIP Gene and lovely Betsy. And poor little Zinna who was loved.

I’m curious what brought Betsy to that particular bathroom with Zinna and how it came to be the dog was placed in a crate. But I don’t think we’ll ever know the answer to that either.

 

[jennytrevor]

Based on the news about BA’s final movements, it seems that she was feeling quite sick on the evening of 2/11 and trying to get those last few errands over with before heading home. I even wonder if she went to Sprouts not only for food, but because of their large selection of homeopathic medicine. She probably intended to get the dog food as well but decided she wasn’t up for it and went home, where her condition deteriorated. I feel she was gone within a day.

 

[tomstrees]

Excellent work done by all the first responders and everyone else who showed such professionalism in dealing with the intense stresses surrounding this tragedy. Having to deal patiently and humanely with so many painful situations in their work and then heal and get rest afterwards calls for a special type of human being.

 

[FromGermany1]

What makes me thinking about it again and again: On Fb. newsfeed there were pics of GH, when the deaths of the spouses weren't know yet (I believe so). No name was mentioned, but the viewers were asked, if they would recognize this wellknown man in his currently constitution as a very old man. I remember only the pic of him, and I didn't know the man and didn't search for an explanation. I don't know, if I could have clicked somewhere to learn more.
Since GH and his Betsy are found dead, I was surprised to see the same man on pics, who I saw before. So I wonder, why was GH with his wife shown by media JUST before they both were found deceased. I can't believe that coincidence.

When I viewed the pic of GH with Betsy, his left hand on her right arm for support and seemingly crossing a street probably, I noticed, that Betsy didn't look quite healthy like on different photos. You know, what is said about taking Cortisone, for example: your appearance changes, you gain weight and look a bit bloated (face and body). Apart from these city photos, I have only seen pictures of a radiantly pretty woman, who obviously always looked much younger than she actually was. - MOO

 

[priyaya]

I’m curious what brought Betsy to that particular bathroom with Zinna and how it came to be the dog was placed in a crate. But I don’t think we’ll ever know the answer to that either.

It did show according to the USA TOday article that the "living area" of the house was towards the front by that glass entrance.
Part of me wonders if She had isolated herself from Gene because she was concerned she'd infect him (which is another concern for a sole caregiver)

 

[NuttMegg]

I’m curious what brought Betsy to that particular bathroom with Zinna and how it came to be the dog was placed in a crate. But I don’t think we’ll ever know the answer to that either.

Do we know if it was connecting with a bedroom? I read that somewhere. Maybe it was one of those small maid's rooms. That article just posted about 10 above said the dog had undergone major internal surgery, and it could have been to prevent her from opening the wound.

 

[Megnut]

It did show according to the USA TOday aricle that the "living area" of the house was towards the front by that glass entrance.
Part of me wonders if She had isolated herself from Gene because she was concerned she'd infect him (which is another concern for a sole caregiver)

View attachment 569459

THAT is an excellent point! She wore a mask out (perhaps to protect against bringing sickness home but more likely to keep from spreading her sickness, which she nightfall thought was a cold/flu/covid).

Perhaps that's why the crated dog was in the bathroom, perhaps  that's why she ran errands that day --

She was setting Gene up for success, on his side of the house. Did any of those groceries get eaten? Maybe Gene wasn't entirely dependent, even if largely dependent. Maybe he understood she was keeping her distance, mistakenly assuming her illness was contagious.

So he could have been aware she was at the other end of the house and avoided it by mutual agreement, unaware she'd died. Meanwhile, he went about his routine as best he could. Waking, sleeping, walking, letting the dogs out. No worries about Zinna because Betsy had that one...

Overnight on the 11th, I think Betsy took a hard turn, too sick even to communicate with the outside world, Montezuma's revenge of the worst kind, proving fatal within 48-72 hours IMO.

What a sad end to a lovely couple.

JMO

 

[Firstsnow4]

I first heard about it in the news when the cases happened in Yosemite’s Curry Village tent cabins. This was back in 2012.

This article is long, but gives a lot of detail on the illness, and how quickly it can get extremely bad. It’s an article from 2012, so I’m not sure if the research is up to date, but a few quotes:

“Human infection most commonly happens in confined spaces like houses, cabins, or storage areas, but it’s got to happen within 48 hours of the mouse shedding the virus—researchers have, so far, seen hantavirus survive for only two days outside a host.”
—-
“symptoms included “a simple cold, a sudden fever—then trouble breathing and an immediate downhill course.””
—-
“Even if they’d known, there wasn’t much more to be done. There is no known cure. The best that doctors can do is hook up a patient to a ventilator and let the body fight the virus on its own. The fortunate, like Lindsey, recover. But many are not fortunate.”

(Excuse if this link has been posted here before. Thread is so long, I may have missed it.)

Death at Yosemite

The outbreak, which killed three, didn’t only attack the lungs of its victims. It messed with the psyche of the rest of us, too.

www.outsideonline.com

I stayed at camp curry in 2008 - beautiful place.

 

[NuttMegg]

I’m curious what brought Betsy to that particular bathroom with Zinna and how it came to be the dog was placed in a crate. But I don’t think we’ll ever know the answer to that either.

She may have chosen that spot for the crate because it was near the door. I sure couldn't lift my Beanie while in her crate.

 

[ClearAhead]

Do we know if it was connecting with a bedroom? I read that somewhere. Maybe it was one of those small maid's rooms. That article just posted about 10 above said the dog had undergone major internal surgery, and it could have been to prevent her from opening the wound.

Yes initially I thought perhaps the dog’s surgery was related to a leg joint but now I notice it was major internal surgery. I’m thinking that’s not one and the same. Zinna was 12 years old and I’m sure experienced an amazing life after the Hackmans adopted her from a shelter but part of me wonders if her death was related to post surgical complications. And in trying to comfort the dog, Betsy was already extremely ill herself. Purely speculation, It’s just that I’d rather not imagine a dehydrated dog’s slow death over a period of many days.

 

[scoodyboo]

And the door was open.

They were at home, the door being open means nothing.

This is a day later but wanted to clarify what I was thinking when I wrote about the door being open.
The other post said GH had his sunglasses on and then i wrote, "And the door was open."
I was thinking that maybe GH went outside or was trying to go somewhere. Maybe he was letting the dogs in/out.

That's all. Nothing about third parties. Just thinking if there was nothing amiss when the pest control people were there 2 weeks prior but this time, on 2/26, the door was open. BH could have left it open when she returned on 2/11 I suppose.

moo

 

[NuttMegg]

I don't think, at least not in my experience, that a person with advanced ALZ would think to put on sunglasses to go outside.

It indicates to me that he was sane enough to have them handy for up to a week, and to use them at all. That, and staying hydrated. I'm on the side of the fence with those who think she lived beyond 11 feb, or he would have lost his sunglasses by 16-17 feb. Which is when, imo, he fell.