Gene Hackman’s death a reminder to look out for elderly family, friends and neighbours
The death of Gene Hackman and his wife - and the subsequent release of photographs revealing the state of their home - is a reminder to all of us to look out for the elderly and the vulnerable in our midst, writes Kylie Lang.
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You never know what goes on behind closed doors – and I wish the awful shambles in which Hollywood legend Gene Hackman breathed his last had stayed private.
But now that photos have been released by authorities, we can only speculate on how an adored Oscar-winning actor came to spend his final days in such dreadful conditions.
Was Hackman like many older people who elect not to hire domestic help due to safety and security fears? Did friends and family rarely visit? Were neighbours oblivious or too busy to bother stopping by?
This week pictures from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office reveal the chronic disarray in the home in which Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead – and partially mummified – on February 26.
In the immediate aftermath of the gruesome discovery, all sorts of questions were flying around – was there a gas leak, was it suicide or murder, was he neglected by his much younger second wife?
And what about their pet dogs – why did one die and two survive?
We asked because we felt we knew Hackman, as is the way with certain people who’ve lived in the public eye and been spectacularly good at what they do.
In March, the cause of Hackman’s death at 95 was finally revealed: heart disease, with Alzheimer’s a major contributing factor.
Arakawa, 65, who likely died six days’ prior on or around February 12, succumbed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a condition caused by inhaling airborne hantaviruses from rat urine, droppings or saliva.
Dog Zinna, kept in a crate after a veterinary procedure, perished from dehydration and starvation.
It’s hard to comprehend the demise of a legend such as Gene Hackman, and then you view the photos.
You see a chaotic bathroom strewn with clothes, pill bottles, papers, cosmetics and God knows what else.
It’s reminiscent of the US reality TV show Hoarders, where the plight of ordinary folk with compulsive hoarding disorder is laid bare. And it proves celebrities are not immune from struggles and life is not perfect.
In the Hackman-Arakawa residence, the bath tub had become a dumping ground, and accessing the shower did not appear easy. A report by the New Mexico medical investigator’s office told of extensive evidence of rodent faeces.
Health officials who carried out a hantavirus risk assessment test at the property last month found a dead rodent and a large rat nest in the three detached garages.
This is all just so sad.
Who gave up first on keeping a tidy home? Was it ever tidy?
If you consider the medical examiner’s report, Arakawa only became fatally ill after the property was let go.
Had there been no infestation of rats, she would probably still be alive.
As for Hackman, the ravages of Alzheimer’s is said to have contributed to his inability to recognise the shocking state of the house – and indeed his wife’s passing.
His primary cause of death, however, was hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
The condition – a build-up of fats and cholesterol that causes arteries to narrow and stop blood from reaching organs and tissues – can be treated.
“Healthy lifestyle habits can help prevent atherosclerosis,” the Mayo Clinic states.
“Early diagnosis and treatment may prevent a heart attack, stroke or another medical emergency.”
Was Hackman aware he had the condition? Was his wife? After his death, one of his three children, Leslie, said there was no indication her father was sick.
She said despite his age, he was in very good physical shape, and did pilates and yoga several times a week.
But I have to wonder, when was the last time anyone properly checked in?
Alzheimer’s is a beast. It creates impaired memory, thinking and behaviour. Sufferers in the advanced stages cannot fulfil the simplest of tasks, and rely completely on others.
Early reports said Hackman appeared to have fallen, with his cane and sunglasses nearby on the floor.
There are many questions that will never be answered.
What we do know is Gene Hackman died alone, and in miserable surroundings outsiders could never have imagined.
It is a reminder to all of us to look out for the elderly and the vulnerable in our midst. They might not reach out for support but we should be alert and ready to give it.
Everyone deserves a dignified exit.
LOVE
The Greens being forced to reschedule their disgusting rave dance party fundraiser on Anzac Day. Public fury erupted when the WA branch’s plan was exposed this week. Shame on the Greens for thinking such a lack of respect for our service men and women was OK.
LOATHE
The hysteria created by falsely comparing Peter Dutton to Donald Trump. Just because the federal Opposition Leader isn’t a leftie doesn’t make him a right-wing extremist. We can safely leave that to billionaire Clive Palmer and his Trumpet of Patriots.
Kylie Lang is associate editor of The Courier-Mail
kylie.lang@news.com.au
Originally published as Gene Hackman’s death a reminder to look out for elderly family, friends and neighbours
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