Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman in 1991.Photo:Dave Lewis/Shutterstock
Dave Lewis/Shutterstock
Friend Daniel Lenihan, 79, and his wife Barbara Lenihan, 75, tells PEOPLE the deceased were “very responsible” pet owners.
“They always had German shepherd rescues, and they were really good to their dogs and very responsible dog owners,” son Aaron Lenihan, 38, tells PEOPLE, adding that his family - who had been friends with Hackman and his wife since the early ‘90s - don’t currently know where the other two canines are.
Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman, PCC Celebrity Art Show on September 11, 1991.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Aaron adds, “Yeah, I know it’s something that they would be concerned about, and yeah, we don’t know.”
The Lenihans tell PEOPLE they believed Hackman and Arakawa were in good health, and although the musician was concerned about being exposed to COVID, the pair stayed active.
“Betsy tried to keep him kind of active and engaged, but they’d do puzzles. They’d do puzzles, and I know that he did,” Aaron says.
“I think he did yoga daily, I think it might’ve been via Zoom. She was very protective of him in terms of COVID, so she’d always wear a mask when we’d see her out, but she was still trying to keep him as active and engaged and healthy as possible,” he adds.
Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman, 2003 Golden Globes.Jon Kopaloff/Getty
Jon Kopaloff/Getty
“I mean, honestly, they were one of the tightest couples I’ve seen. They seemed like real life partners, really, really close to each other, and they were both incredibly kind. And they were reserved, but they were real,” Aaron tells PEOPLE.
A cause of death has not yet been determined for the couple.
On Thursday, County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said there were no signs of foul play in their deaths while also admitting thecircumstances were “unusual.”
Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman.Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
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At a press conference held Friday, Feb. 28, Mendoza added that the Oscar-winning actor had been wearing a pacemaker, but it was last operational on Feb. 17.
“I think that is a very good assumption that that was his last day of life,” the sheriff said.
Carbon monoxide poisoning, which was thought to have been a factor, has now beenruled out, Mendoza said, as both Hackman and Arakawa tested negative for the compound.
source: people.com
