Leslie Anne Allen, Hackman’s daughter whom he shared with his late ex-wife Faye Maltese, has said of her father’s marriage to Arakawa, “They had a wonderful marriage. And I give credit to his wife, Betsy, for keeping him alive.”

Before his death, Gene Hackman likely did not know wife Betsy Arakawa—whose cause of death was ruled as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome—died due to his “advanced state of Alzheimer's,” per authorities.