Pianist Betsy Arakawa found dead at 63.

[Preciousssssss]

Putting this here as she deserves to be acknowledged as more than just a man’s unnamed wife.

https://news.sky.com/story/oscar-winning-actor-gene-hackman-and-wife-found-dead-at-home-13317861

Yes,all of the tributes for Hackman have started even before the precise causes of death have been announced. Saying how wonderful he was, but no mention of his wife at all.

He was 95 and VERY frail. I doubt he would be able to overpower a 63 year old woman

So sad for all of them. RIP

Very sad and it's true that 63 is young. RIP Betsy.

The papers are trying hard to pretend they are interested in her life, but each of the stories / obituaries put in as much about him. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/betsy-arakawa-gene-hackman-wife-b2705918.html

She obviously led a varied life with many talents.

Even if it made a shorter article or obituary why cant it just focus on her and mention that she married a film star.

It may also be that she shunned social media and news reporters are so lazy now they cant be bothered to do research. And with him it is so easy to just find old interviews, clips from films etc..

They are so busy competing to be the first with a story they just go for the quick option.

And in doing this they also seem to have spread quite a lot of misinformation about what may have happened.

Heard a lot about this story all day. I haven't once heard her go unnamed, tbh.

I didn't know her previously, tbh, but now know she was a concert pianist.

Gene Hackman was a world-famous, high profile actor.

I think you're looking for something that simply isn't there.

Either that or you're looking at crap news sources.

There's been a family tragedy here and you're using it to confect some outrage for some reason.

Poor show in my opinion.

I'm not surprised the coverage focuses on him, as he was an internationally famous film star.
I am uncomfortable about the eulogies about him while the circumstances of her death are still unclear. I think it should be established that he played no part in her death BEFORE journalists publish pieces on what a great actor he was.

He was incredibly frail and could barely walk by all accounts. They've ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning.
They suspect he died in a fall, she was found in a bathroom.

The whole thing seems quite an unusual set of circumstances. He may have fell while trying to get her help, or perhaps she tried to help him and had a heart attack?

But I don't think 95 year old family annihilators are really a thing, and there is no evidence GH was a violent person, so it seems a rather odd thing to worry about. If there was foul play I guess it will come out but I don't imagine most of us would want that kind of speculation about our deceased family at this point.

I certainly don’t want to speculate here, though I’ve read and heard the news that’s appeared.

It just seems an awfully sad end for both of them.

Rowed back on this yet?

https://news.sky.com/story/gene-hackmans-pacemaker-data-suggests-he-died-in-mid-february-police-say-13318931

And...?

Sky's your go-to news source?

DM too?

Based on absolutely no evidence whatsoever, in fact the known facts seem to probably point otherwise, many people here are hinting and implying that Gene Hackman may be murderer. That's utterly fucking vile.

And on the subject of why he gets mentioned and she doesn't . It's blindingly obvious to be honest. It's is because he's a world famous actor that nearly everyone's heard of and practically nobody's heard of her. Trying to make a feminist point where one doesn't exist is actually disrespectful to her memory.

I'm posting this because I think some of the speculation about what may have happened was very inappropriate and reduces the FWR forum to the type of social media platforms that are all too often the source of false media stories.

So although not totally confirmed this seems to be what happened. And if so is a very sad end for both of them.

RIP and condolences to family.

https://uk.yahoo.com/news/police-giving-death-gene-hackman-141800600.html

(Although I do think the MSM could have shown her more respect. But think that had it been a famous women film star their male partner / husband would have been treated as badly.)

Are you going to come back to this thread and apologise?

Really such a tragic set of circumstances. I find it so sad that nobody realised for so long - they must have been quite isolated.

A lot of speculation and a lot of finger pointing, which really says more about the people speculating than the actual reality.

The reality is sadder, and something that a lot of people face but doesn't get spoken about much, which is when a partner becomes a carer no one questions what would happen if the carer partner becomes unwell or dies first.

I just hope that this tragedy will bring some focus onto these situations, because it is something that I am seeing with a lot of people that I know and come into contact with.

I find it slightly odd that people who are SO rich didn't employ anyone to help them. If they had daily help, she certainly might have lived. A very unusual illness too - a virus from rodents! What rodents?

I do feel they hid themselves away but it's all very sad if she had to cope alone.

I find it slightly odd that people who are SO rich didn't employ anyone to help them.

This was my first thought too. But my father was not very welcoming of help, he basically told everyone to leave and was calmer if its was just my mum, so she was left to cope all alone on a day to day bases. So i can see how this situation could occur.

Wow rodent droppings.. must have been a lot around. What an awful ending for them, poor Gene walking round confused for a week.

That’s a strange conclusion. Like saying there must have been thunderstorms everywhere because someone’s been struck by lightning. It only takes one virus particle released from one rat dropping to infect a human.

It is a sad situation. But only made international news because of Gene Hackman’s career.

How horribly sad. RIP Betsy and Gene (and dog)

@TizerorFizz

I find it slightly odd that people who are SO rich didn't employ anyone to help them. If they had daily help, she certainly might have lived. A very unusual illness too - a virus from rodents! What rodents?

My mum has dementia. Stepdad desperately wants to hire a cleaner (large house and gardens, he struggles to keep on top of everything) but mum won’t have anyone in the house. Really kicks off at even the suggestion and becomes aggressive.

@MrsSkylerWhite So his wife was virtually a prisoner? Could be but what about the rodent associated illness? Just awful.