Hackman's family friend says late actor's health "was slipping" in recent months
Mar 01, 2025
Washington [US], March 1 : Legendary actor Gene Hackman, who was found dead at his New Mexico home earlier this week, had been "slipping" over the last couple of months, revealed his close friends.
In a recent interview with People, family friends Daniel and Barbara Lenihan, along with their son Aaron, spoke about Hackman's health and their close bond with the actor.
Daniel, while speaking to People, shared that his friend Hackman, "in recent times," was "essentially kind of home-bound," while Barbara added that the actor had "quit riding his bike through the neighborhood" about a year ago.
Aaron shared that Betsy Arakawa, Hackman's wife, did her best to keep Hackman active. "Betsy tried to keep him kind of active and engaged. She was still trying to keep him as active, engaged, and healthy as possible," he said.
Daniel and Barbara further shared that the late actor "was really slipping there" in the "last couple of months."
Barbara also mentioned that Arakawa was in "perfect health" and very fit, to which Aaron added that she was "very protective of Gene, especially during COVID."
The Oscar-winning actor, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog were all found dead at their New Mexico home, authorities have confirmed.
The office of Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed their deaths to Variety. There is no immediate indication of foul play, according to authorities, though the sheriff's office did not immediately provide a cause of death.
"All I can say is that we're in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant," the sheriff told the Santa Fe New Mexican. The statement came before authorities had positively identified the pair, according to the publication. "I want to assure the community and neighborhood that there's no immediate danger to anyone."
He was married twice and had three children. His first marriage to Faye Maltese lasted 30 years, from 1956 to 1986. Hackman married Arakawa in 1991. Arakawa was a classical pianist.
