Gene Hackman, the two-time Oscar-winning actor, has died at age 93, exactly one week after the passing of his wife too, Betsy Arakawa. Fox News Digital has exclusively accessed the final autopsy findings. They suggest that he contended with a host of challenging interlocking health crises across his life. Since April 2019, Hackman had been implanted with a bi-ventricular pacemaker—the device central to controlling his heart disease.
The estimated date of Hackman’s death was established by examining the final recorded download from the pacemaker. He would have had a well-documented history of congestive heart failure, which would certainly lead to his deteriorative health. The autopsy showed severe chronic hypertensive changes in his kidneys and neurodegenerative changes indicative of Alzheimer’s disease.
Their results conclusively determined that Hackman had suffered remote myocardial infarctions. This condition led to myocardial necrosis with severe loss of cardiomyocytes, especially affecting the left ventricular free wall and septum. An autopsy of his brain revealed the microscopic hallmarks of late-stage Alzheimer’s disease.
The timeline surrounding Hackman’s death raises some poignant artistic questions about what he was or was not aware of in his final days. Those close to him say he never quite understood the loss of his wife, Betsy Arakawa. It’s hard to tell – it might be simply that his dementia has progressed.
“Remote myocardial infarctions were present involving the left ventricular free wall and the septum, which were significantly large. Examination of the brain showed microscopic findings of advanced stage Alzheimer’s disease.”
The effect of these health challenges on Hackman’s life can’t be understated. The presence of marked chronic hypertensive changes in his kidneys complicated his condition almost beyond repair.
Hackman and Arakawa lived a long life together, and the timing of their recent passings has brought them public attention. The tenderness of their connection was tangible. It’s gut-wrenching to imagine the impact that dementia has had on Hackman’s understanding of Arakawa’s death.