Due to the advanced state of his illness, it is possible that Hackman did not realize that his wife had been killed in the house where they lived
The actor Gene Hackman was only in his home in the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, when he died.
The Hollywood star, with two Oscar statuettes, made only one call and had not fed.
At 95, he was weakened and suffered from an advanced phase of Alzheimer’s disease.
Expert doctors believe it is possible that the actor did not even realize that his wife had died in the house where they lived.
If he realized, the experts told the BBC, he probably crossed several phases of confusion and mourning, trying to wake it up before the disease caused so much disorientation or emotional overload that prevented him from acting.
The trial probably repeated it for days before it also died.
The authorities of New Mexico say that Betsy Arakawa for 65 years has died of a rare virus about seven days before Hackman’s death on February 18 from natural causes.
The couple, together with one of their dogs, were found lifeless in their residence in Santa Fe, after a safety patrol of the neighborhood made an inspection of well -being and identified their bodies on the floor from a window.
Initially, the authorities said that the tragic discovery was “sufficiently suspicious” to justify the opening of an investigation.
The bodies were found in an advanced decomposition state.
Arakawa was in the bathroom, with scattered pills. Hackman was found near the kitchen with a stick and sunglasses on the floor near his body. One of the couple’s three dogs had also died in a compartment used for transport.
However, police investigations have not found crime tests.
Instead, the case has given light on the harsh reality of Alzheimer – a disease that gradually damages and destroys brain cells, compromising memory and other important mental functions.
“It was as if she lived in a repeated film,” Catherine V. Piersol told BBC, an employment therapist with decades of experience in care, describing how Hackman may have repeatedly revived his wife.
Piersol stressed that patients with advanced Alzheimers, as in the case of the actor, live in the present, but are unable to remember moments of the past or plan the future and the act.
“I guess he could have tried to wake it up without success. But then it may have been distracted by something in another room, one of the dogs or something,” he said.
So he would realize again that his wife was lying on the floor and would “relaunch” the experience.
Although nobody knows exactly how Hackman spent his last days, the dark nature of the possibilities was discussed by local authorities and the coroner of the state.
In a press conference last week, Dr. Heather Jarrell, head of the medical competence of New Mexico, said that Arakawa died due to Hantavirus lung syndrome (SPHV), a respiratory disease caused by exposure to infected rodents.
Hackman died following a coronary disease, with Alzheimer’s as a factor that contributes.
Given the advanced phase of Alzheimer’s Hackman, it is “very possible that she was not aware of her [sua esposa] He had died, “said Dr. Jarrell.
The autopsy indicates that he had not recently eaten, although there were no signs of dehydration.
The authorities did not find evidence of the fact that he had come into contact with someone after his wife’s death, nor could they determine if he was able to take care of himself.
Dr. Piersol explained that patients with advanced Alzheimer’s Alzheimer cannot perceive the signs of the environment, such as light and darkness, which makes it difficult to decide when they should eat, sleep or swim.
“Those [sinais] Often they simply stop being available for people in this phase of dementia, “he said.
Confusion and agitation
Dr. Brendan Kelley, a neurologist specialized in memory and knowledge of the medical center of the University of Southwashes in Texas, explained that Hackman may not have been able to call the authorities in search of help.
He said that Alzheimer’s disease could leave patients trapped between emotional unease and the inability to act to solve it.
“A person can feel worried or frightened, but at the same time, not being able to take the actions that you or normally take to alleviate this anxiety or concern, how to call someone or go out to talk to a neighbor.”
Kelley has indicated that patients with Alzheimer still experience emotions such as sadness and mourning and feel physical needs such as hunger and thirst, but have more difficulty identifying what they are feeling.
The expert concluded that skipping meals can also increase the levels of confusion and agitation.
The death of the couple and the alarming details of Hackman who live in the house for a week after the death of his wife have had an impact on the community of Santa Fe, where the two lived for over 20 years.
“It is absolutely devastating,” said Jeffery Gómez, an old resident of the city, who remembers having seen Hackman circular around the region in different vehicles, always with a smile on the face.
His companion, beautiful, said that the details were an emotional triggering factor, explaining that he took care of the elderly mother who also had dementia. “Even with help, it’s a weight,” he said.
“We know that Gene and his wife were very confidential people and was probably protecting him from the public,” he added. “But thinking that he was doing it alone? It’s too much to carry alone.”
Jeffery Gómez said he had difficulty understanding how nobody seemed to see how the couple was for so long.
“Partly my heart knows it was only for so long.”
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
