Gene Hackman, star of The Replacements, Hoosiers, cause of death revealed

Two-time Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betty Arakawa, both died of natural causes, albeit a full week apart, according to NBC News. Hackman, who was reportedly in poor health and suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, died of “hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease” — otherwise known as heart disease — with his Alzheimer’s a “significant contributory factor,” according to the Santa Fe, New Mexico chief medical investigator, Dr. Heather Jarrell, per NBC News.

The medical examiner determined Arakawa, 55, died a full seven days before her husband after suffering from Hantavirus pulmonary sydrome, a deadly illness spread by rodents, primarily through droppings, urine or saliva, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hackman tested negative for Hantavirus, per Jarrell.

Although Jarrell acknowledged there is “no reliable scientific method” to accurately determine Hackman’s exact time of death, the medical examiner believes he likely died around Feb. 18, roughly a day after his pacemaker last recorded an “event,” according to NBC News.

Hackman, the star of legendary sports movies such as Hoosiers and The Replacements, was found dead Feb. 26 after a neighbor called police for a welfare check, though police quickly ruled out foul play as cause of death. Hackman was found collapsed in the couple’s mudroom, while Arakawa was found in the bathroom next to an open prescription pill bottle and pills on the counter. One of the couple’s three dogs was also found dead in a nearby closet. The other two dogs were found alive.

Gene Hackman best remembered among sports fans for iconic roles in Hoosiers, The Replacements

A legend in Hollywood, Hackman was the star of more than 75 movies throughout his career, before considering his television and theater appearances, and was nominated for five Academy Awards and won two of them. Those were for The French Connection and Unforgiven, for which he won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor respectively. Beyond the Oscars, Hackman won two BAFTAs awards, four Golden Globes, a SAG award, and the Cecil B. DeMille Award.

Sports fans, however, will best remember Hackman for his roles in Hoosiers and The Replacements. In Hoosiers, he played high school basketball coach Norman Dale who led a small school team to an Indiana State Championship. Then, The Replacements is one of his later career roles. Loosely based on the 1987 NFL strike, that movie sees Hackman play the head coach who coaches replacement players.

Other notable roles for Gene Hackman came in Bonnie and Clyde, The Poseidon Adventure, Young Frankenstein, Superman, Mississippi Burning, The Royal Tenenbaums, and I Never Sang for My Father.

A California native who would briefly live in Iowa following his parents’ separation, Hackman knew he wanted to be an actor from a young age. Before he had the opportunity to pursue that dream, however, he left home at the age of 16 to join the Marines. He’d eventually be discharged in 1951. A few years later, in 1956, he began his acting career by joining the Pasadena Playhouse. There, he became close with Dustin Hoffman before both broke into TV and films. It would then be in the 1960s when his career took off and he’d quickly become a household name for movie fans.

On3’s Dan Morrison contributed to this report.