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Pianist Dies of Rat Virus, Actor Husband Follows
19 Feb
Summary
- Betsy Arakawa died from hantavirus, a rare rat-borne illness.
- Gene Hackman died from heart disease and Alzheimer's.
- Rodent nests found on their estate, a hantavirus breeding ground.
It has been a year since the passing of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa. Their deaths occurred at their Santa Fe, New Mexico home.
Betsy, aged 65, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare illness spread by rats. She had initially believed her symptoms were COVID-19, evidenced by her online searches and a negative test. Gene, 95, passed away approximately a week later from heart disease, with Alzheimer's contributing.
Investigators discovered rodent nests and dead rodents in eight outbuildings on their property. This situation, which reportedly turned their estate into a breeding ground for the virus, prompted a health inspection to protect first responders.
