Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa wanted her husband to live as long as possible so she pushed him to stay active even though he was slowing down.
The Hawaiian native, who was of Japanese ancestry, ‘believed staying physically fit was of utmost importance to his health,’ a source has told DailyMail.com.
That is why Betsy – who used to work at a fitness center – did not want Gene to ride in a wheelchair and preferred he walk with a cane, even though he was 95-years-old.
She also made him do yoga and Tai Chi, and before he really slowed down, she had him do ‘senior exercises’ like strength training and balancing practice, DailyMail.com has learned.
Betsy also felt New Mexico was the right place for them because of the ‘spiritual vortex’ in Santa Fe that made the area ‘magical.’ They lived in a mansion on 12 acres.
A ‘spiritual vortex’ refers to a specific location on Earth believed to have a concentrated flow of spiritual energy, often described as a swirling center where the earth’s energy is particularly strong, creating a space for deep contemplation, self-discovery, and heightened spiritual experiences.
Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa wanted her husband to live as long as possible so she pushed him to stay active, eat well and take in New Mexico’s ‘spiritual vortex’; seen in 1994
Law enforcement officials talk outside the home of actor Gene Hackman on Thursday, February 27, 2025. Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa and their wife were found dead in the home a day earlier
Betsy always had a fascination with being physically fit.
During a summer break from University of Southern California – which she was at from 1981 to 1983 – she served as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Aztecs, a professional soccer team.
In 1989, Arakawa performed at the Altenheim Geriatric Center in Forest Park, Illinois, which was used as a German nursing home in The Package, a film starring her future husband, Hackman.
She met Hackman in the 1980s while working part-time at a Los Angeles fitness center. They dated for seven years and married on December 1, 1991.
Gene loved fast food and sweets like cake, but Betsy made him eat clean.
Betsy often cooked up dishes with fish, vegetables and red curry, with miso soup and shrimp salad being a favorite.
Curry, a blend of spices commonly used in Indian cuisine, offers several potential health benefits as it contains spices like turmeric, ginger, and cumin, which are rich in antioxidants. It also has immune-boosting properties.
Hackman liked to stay active with golf and Betsy took him for walks in nature, the source added.
The way they died is shrouded in mystery as they had been dead for several days. It is also not know why they passed around the same time.
Hackman death investigators say pills found at the scene of his shock passing are ‘of concern’.
Hackman liked to golf; seen with Jack Lemmon, left, at the Pro-Celebrity Golf Tournament Charity Benefit in 1990 at North Ranch Country Club in Westlake
On the golf course with Arakawa during the Mission Hills Celebrity Sports Invitational, Rancho Mirage, California in 1991
She made him walk with a cane and not take a wheelchair; seen in 2024 leaving the restaurant Pappadeaux’s in Santa Fe
The late actor and his were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home last week, with investigators saying it could take weeks to determine the cause of their deaths.
Sheriff Adan Mendoza of Santa Fe County has now told reporters pills discovered near Betsy’s body were ‘of concern’ – but stressed no conclusions had yet been reached about their role in the pair’s passings.
He said: ‘Initial findings noted no external trauma to either individual.
‘The manner and cause of death have not been determined. The official results of the autopsy and toxicology reports are pending.’
Gene was a two-time Oscar-winning actor known for roles in The French Connection, Unforgiven, I Never Sang for My Father and Bonnie And Clyde.
He was found on the floor of a wet room in the couple’s mansion on Wednesday, February 26.
(L-R) Raquel Welch, Hackman and Cloris Leachman in 1972. He was an impressive leading man
Gene loved fast food and sweets like cake but Betsy made him eat clean; seen in 1972
His wife Betsy was found in a bathroom next to a heater, and one of their three dogs was discovered dead. The remaining two were rescued alive.
Investigators are attempting to establish the timeline of their deaths.
Gene’s pacemaker registered its last event on February 17, nine days before his body was found.
Sheriff Mendoza said: ‘According to the pathologist, I think that is a very good assumption, that that was his last day of life.’
Authorities initially considered carbon monoxide poisoning but later ruled it out following an examination by the medical examiner.
The sheriff confirmed a prescription bottle and scattered pills were found near Betsy and were ‘significant evidence’ in the case. He added: ‘Whether they or other drugs were a factor won’t be known until toxicology tests are completed.’
Officers are expected to interview Gene’s three children from his first marriage to gather more information about the couple’s final days.
Gene retired from acting in 2004 after a career spanning six decades.
Hackman’s fans have turned one of his favorite restaurants into memorial grounds for the late actor. Doug Lanham, the owner of Jinja Bar and Bistro and a former business partner of Gene’s, told TMZ: ‘He was a dear friend and would sometimes drop in for a bite or to pay patrons’ tabs.’
He added Gene was also a talented painter, and many of his artworks remain displayed on the walls of the restaurant.
From left, Clint Eastwood’s daughter Allison Eastwood, Gene and Betsy in 1994
Another of the actor’s favorite spots was Harry’s Roadhouse.
Its owner, Kathleen O’Brien, 61, told DailyMail.com: ‘I’ve known Gene and his wife for over 30 years. He was a beloved, beloved regular of ours.’
She said Gene was ‘never presumptuous’ and was ‘always kind and very generous, always quick to smile and make a wry joke’.
Kathleen went on: ‘We were always giving them the space to be very private people.’
She recalled an encounter in 2008 when Gene visited Harry’s Roadhouse as Guy Fieri was filming an episode of ‘Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives’.
Kathleen added: ‘That was crazy. They were taping, and Gene happened to be coming in for a business meeting for a book he was writing.
‘One of Guy’s assistants came running into the kitchen as they were shooting, and said, ‘Guy, Gene Hackman is here!’ ‘Guy Fieri ran right out of the kitchen and grabbed Gene, and they sat down at the counter and had a conversation for 45 minutes.’