Inside Gene Hackman's wife Betsy Arakawa's relationship with his children

Gene, 95, died on February 17

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Gene Hackman's death at the age of 95 was filled with tragedy and heartbreak for his three children: son Christopher Allen and daughters Leslie Anne and Elizabeth Jean.

But the three were also close to his wife Betsy Arakawa, who died six days earlier.

Betsy met Gene in the 1980s at a gym she was working at part-time as she also built her career as a classical musician, and they fell in love.

Gene and Betsy at the 1988 Oscars

By 1990 they were living together in his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

What did Gene's daughter say about his wife Betsy?

"They had a wonderful marriage. And I give credit to his wife, Betsy, for keeping him alive," Leslie told the Daily Mail.

Gene's three children had a close relationship with their stepmom, with Leslie praising Betsy for taking "very, very good care of him".

Betsy was close with her stepchildrenGene was in 'good health'

The musician, who was 30 years his junior, "was always looking out for his health".

"He was in very good physical condition," said Leslie , 57, sharing that Betsy had encouraged her father to do pilates and yoga several times a week that had kept him in "good health".

Gene at a 2005 Super Bowl ESPN party

The daughter of the Oscar winner had also shared how she was so "appreciative" to Betsy for being a loving wife over their decades together, and that Leslie and her siblings had been "close" to Betsy.

Gene welcomed his children with first wife Faye Maltese — Christopher Allen, 63, Elizabeth Jean, 61, and Leslie Ann, 57.

Tribute to Gene Hackman

Gene Hackman statement

"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy. He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa," Leslie and Elizabeth, and Gene's granddaughter Annie said in a statement.

"We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss."

Gene Hackman and his children at Sun Valle circa 1970

"It's tough being the son or daughter of a celebrity," Gene admitted to the Irish Independent in 2000, a few years before his retirement.

"I couldn't always be home with them when they were growing up and then, living in California, they've had my success always hanging over their heads."

Gene and his son Christopher attend the Fourth Annual Clint Eastwood Celebrity Tennis Tournament in 1973Gene and Betsy cause of death

The autopsies of Gene and Betsy revealed that it was "reasonable to conclude" that Betsy, 64, died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome on February 11; Hantavirus can be fatal and is spread by rodents' body fluids and excrement.

Gene died six days later on February 17, and an autopsy revealed the 95-year-old had a history of cardiovascular disease, along with advanced Alzheimer's.

Gene (R) and children during Superman premiere in Washington, D.C. in 1978

The Oscar-winning actor had a history of heart attacks and high blood pressure, and officials said that "hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease" was the cause of death, "with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributory factor".

The investigation also revealed that Gene's Alzheimer's may have created confusion, explaining why he never called authorities when his wife died; it is unclear if Gene knew if Betsy had died.

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