Gene Hackman R.I.P.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sad that he was 95 and none of his three kids checked up on him for over two weeks.

Yes. I can't imagine not checking up on my elderly mother for even a day.

There are so many reasons why kids might not.

For starters, as others said, his wife was in her 60s, so that was a lot more reliable of a check in on him than a once a day call. Also, I’d be annoyed AF if I had to field 3 separate calls from my kids every single day (95 yr olds probably aren’t texting). My own elder father is annoyed by calls more than once a week! Maybe GH was the same. Anyway, why judge the kids without knowing the whole story. It sucks how judgmental so many have become (or maybe people always were this judgmental and it’s easier to ahow your true colors anonymously).

[Anonymous]

so bizarre my elderly family loves calls and visits but we are close.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:so bizarre my elderly family loves calls and visits but we are close.

your elderly parent married to someone in their 60s loves calls from 3 kids daily?

my mother loves calls and visits but she lives alone and is very dependent on my sister and me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I read the warrant. It does not say that they died at different times, in fact it describes both Gene and his wife as similarly decomposed. His decomposition was sufficiently advanced that one of the maintenance people who called it in could not positively identify him.

The warrant makes clear that the most likely cause of the deaths was gas poisoning of a type TBD, and that both appear to have fallen. The deaths are labeled suspicious for now because of the open door, two healthy dogs, and lack of an obvious source of gas poisoning.

Why do people go on and on with speculation without even reading the warrant?

That is what the warrant says but the medical examiner has come out AFTER the warrant was issued that he/she has found no evidence of gas poisoning and has ruled the deaths suspicious.

No, the autopsy isn’t complete. What they’ve said is there are no signs of foul play or trauma. They are waiting for toxicology reports. They haven’t found an obvious source of gas poisoning, but that still appears to be the most likely explanation. The sheriff says no foul play.

No.... that is not what they are saying on the news. Have you listened to updated reports?

Have you read the original documents or full statements? I don’t know how to break this to you but news reporting in the US sucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sad that he was 95 and none of his three kids checked up on him for over two weeks.

Yes. I can't imagine not checking up on my elderly mother for even a day.

There are so many reasons why kids might not.

For starters, as others said, his wife was in her 60s, so that was a lot more reliable of a check in on him than a once a day call. Also, I’d be annoyed AF if I had to field 3 separate calls from my kids every single day (95 yr olds probably aren’t texting). My own elder father is annoyed by calls more than once a week! Maybe GH was the same. Anyway, why judge the kids without knowing the whole story. It sucks how judgmental so many have become (or maybe people always were this judgmental and it’s easier to ahow your true colors anonymously).

With a much younger wife, I wouldn't have worried at all on a daily basis. But certainly a weekly call would happen.

[Anonymous]

Maybe she woke up early in the morning and was having chest pain and tried to take the medicine and had a heart attack and he fell in a panic trying to get help. The dog died because it was stuck in the crate from over night.

[Anonymous]

The latest reports are that there were 3 medications - levothyroxine, diltiazem, and tylenol. Sounds just like regular daily meds for someone

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The latest reports are that there were 3 medications - levothyroxine, diltiazem, and tylenol. Sounds just like regular daily meds for someone

Interesting combo of meds. Maybe gives credence to multiple PPs theory that wife had angina, chest pain and followed her own protocol. Experiencing what she thought was her diagnosed angina/anxiety/atrial flutter and grabbed her meds hoping to find relief and help herself. Instead, died trying. Awful.



Levothyroxine= It can treat hypothyroidism

Diltiazem: Arrhythmia, Atrial fibrillation, Atrial flutter, angina, chest pain

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The latest reports are that there were 3 medications - levothyroxine, diltiazem, and tylenol. Sounds just like regular daily meds for someone

Interesting combo of meds. Maybe gives credence to multiple PPs theory that wife had angina, chest pain and followed her own protocol. Experiencing what she thought was her diagnosed angina/anxiety/atrial flutter and grabbed her meds hoping to find relief and help herself. Instead, died trying. Awful.



Levothyroxine= It can treat hypothyroidism

Diltiazem: Arrhythmia, Atrial fibrillation, Atrial flutter, angina, chest pain

Yes that makes sense. Had a heart attack. He panicked and fell. Uses a cane, maybe wasn't able to get up without assistance. Does seem the most logical explanation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the wife died suddenly - stroke or heart attack. Gene Hackman probably had dementia, perhaps left the house at one point and also died suddenly.

(My mom had Alzheimer's and my dad took care of her. Early one morning dad fell and broke his ankle. Even though he was lying on the ground in obvious distress, he could not get my mother to either use the phone herself or give him the phone to call someone. He laid on the ground for hours until my sister happened to call and my dad convinced my mom to hand him the phone.)

Yep this makes the most sense. He was 95 so even if he didn’t have dementia, he was probably fragile and she was probably his primary caretaker.

As a caregiver myself, this is what makes the most sense. I worry about being home alone with my own husband, and not having anyone to check on us all weekend. If I had a heart attack and he didn't happen to be near his cell phone, or dropped it, he'd basically be trapped in the house with no help until someone stopped by (severely disabled/near paralyzed)

I don't know how disabled Mr Hackman was. But news reports said he seldom was seen in public in over ten years, so I assume it was either dementia or serious frailty.

If she passed away from a sudden heart attack she could have dropped the pills, pulled the heater etc... and then he would have been without any caregiver for a week or so, maybe was able to walk a little bit but tripped and fell.. .and died of dehydration or blow to the head.

I don't know about the dog but if it was in a dog crate, it would have died as well from lack of care.

Very sad though that no one checked on them on what sounds like... a week? Two?

She was in her 60s, which does not necessitate being checked on daily or even weekly.

Evidence suggests otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the wife died suddenly - stroke or heart attack. Gene Hackman probably had dementia, perhaps left the house at one point and also died suddenly.

(My mom had Alzheimer's and my dad took care of her. Early one morning dad fell and broke his ankle. Even though he was lying on the ground in obvious distress, he could not get my mother to either use the phone herself or give him the phone to call someone. He laid on the ground for hours until my sister happened to call and my dad convinced my mom to hand him the phone.)

Yep this makes the most sense. He was 95 so even if he didn’t have dementia, he was probably fragile and she was probably his primary caretaker.

As a caregiver myself, this is what makes the most sense. I worry about being home alone with my own husband, and not having anyone to check on us all weekend. If I had a heart attack and he didn't happen to be near his cell phone, or dropped it, he'd basically be trapped in the house with no help until someone stopped by (severely disabled/near paralyzed)

I don't know how disabled Mr Hackman was. But news reports said he seldom was seen in public in over ten years, so I assume it was either dementia or serious frailty.

If she passed away from a sudden heart attack she could have dropped the pills, pulled the heater etc... and then he would have been without any caregiver for a week or so, maybe was able to walk a little bit but tripped and fell.. .and died of dehydration or blow to the head.

I don't know about the dog but if it was in a dog crate, it would have died as well from lack of care.

Very sad though that no one checked on them on what sounds like... a week? Two?

Something similar happened to a friend of mine's parents.
It made me think -- someone should develop an app that is like wordle (but with option for easier versions) that every day it sends the results to designated contact people. If the person doesn't get the game results for the day, or if the results start getting noticeably worse, the person knows to check in. I know there are other things, like life alert, etc., but people love those little wordle type games, so I feel like this could really help. One of my relatives had the life alert necklace, but she never wore it.

Anyone who would consent to do this would also consent to saying hello in a normal way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the wife died suddenly - stroke or heart attack. Gene Hackman probably had dementia, perhaps left the house at one point and also died suddenly.

(My mom had Alzheimer's and my dad took care of her. Early one morning dad fell and broke his ankle. Even though he was lying on the ground in obvious distress, he could not get my mother to either use the phone herself or give him the phone to call someone. He laid on the ground for hours until my sister happened to call and my dad convinced my mom to hand him the phone.)

Yep this makes the most sense. He was 95 so even if he didn’t have dementia, he was probably fragile and she was probably his primary caretaker.

As a caregiver myself, this is what makes the most sense. I worry about being home alone with my own husband, and not having anyone to check on us all weekend. If I had a heart attack and he didn't happen to be near his cell phone, or dropped it, he'd basically be trapped in the house with no help until someone stopped by (severely disabled/near paralyzed)

I don't know how disabled Mr Hackman was. But news reports said he seldom was seen in public in over ten years, so I assume it was either dementia or serious frailty.

If she passed away from a sudden heart attack she could have dropped the pills, pulled the heater etc... and then he would have been without any caregiver for a week or so, maybe was able to walk a little bit but tripped and fell.. .and died of dehydration or blow to the head.

I don't know about the dog but if it was in a dog crate, it would have died as well from lack of care.

Very sad though that no one checked on them on what sounds like... a week? Two?

Something similar happened to a friend of mine's parents.
It made me think -- someone should develop an app that is like wordle (but with option for easier versions) that every day it sends the results to designated contact people. If the person doesn't get the game results for the day, or if the results start getting noticeably worse, the person knows to check in. I know there are other things, like life alert, etc., but people love those little wordle type games, so I feel like this could really help. One of my relatives had the life alert necklace, but she never wore it.

Anyone who would consent to do this would also consent to saying hello in a normal way.

It’s not about consent. Lots of people would find it condescending to have their kids dall for just a “mom are you still alive?” check, especially in their 60s. And lots of kids get busy and forget to call and then realize “gee, I haven’t talked to mom this week!”. But lots of people do things like worlde daily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sad that he was 95 and none of his three kids checked up on him for over two weeks.

Yes. I can't imagine not checking up on my elderly mother for even a day.

If he had dementia, he may not have wanted calls or been able to participate. Sometimes people with dementia find calls really aggravating — it’s confusing who it is, why they aren’t there, what they are saying, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sad that he was 95 and none of his three kids checked up on him for over two weeks.

Yes. I can't imagine not checking up on my elderly mother for even a day.

If he had dementia, he may not have wanted calls or been able to participate. Sometimes people with dementia find calls really aggravating — it’s confusing who it is, why they aren’t there, what they are saying, etc.

+1. I stopped calling a family member directly because they had severe dementia and would scream and grunt if you tried speaking to them on the phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sad that he was 95 and none of his three kids checked up on him for over two weeks.

Yes. I can't imagine not checking up on my elderly mother for even a day.

If he had dementia, he may not have wanted calls or been able to participate. Sometimes people with dementia find calls really aggravating — it’s confusing who it is, why they aren’t there, what they are saying, etc.

+1. I stopped calling a family member directly because they had severe dementia and would scream and grunt if you tried speaking to them on the phone.

I haven’t had a telephone conversation with my local FIL in about 20 years - he’s needed hearing aids since as long as I’ve known him and has stubbornly refused to even consider. Conversations with him have always been nearly impossible with me shouting at him, then trying to to be patient with his delay tactics - he pauses to discern what he thinks he heard me say. So, no more calls. I’ll text him if I must.