Given the devastating end to her story, many fans are still wondering what Jenny died from in Forrest Gump. The misunderstanding stems from the fact that the film just delivers hints regarding Jenny's death and does not adapt how Jenny dies in the book.
Though Robert Zemeckis' 1994 film focuses on Forrest's life achievements, the tale is grounded by his undying love for Jenny, despite her often not treating him very nicely in return.
Jenny from Forrest Gump was an abuse survivor who frequently struggled with her prior traumas, unbeknownst to the naive Forrest (but obvious to the audience).
Jenny tells Forrest in the film that she is ill with a ‘mystery infection.' The physicians have no idea what it is and can't help. So, what caused Jenny's death in the film?
How did Jenny from Forrest Gump die?
There have been ideas that Jenny caught AIDS because her virus is never identified in the film. After all, she appears to have had several sexual partners during the era of ‘free love.'
Furthermore, during Jenny's drug use, she frequently shared needles, which has been one of the leading causes of AIDS. The AIDS theory, on the other hand, contains a problem or two. Wouldn't Forrest have contracted AIDS if Jenny had? And wouldn't it be the same for their child?
According to one version, Jenny relapsed after her child was born and hit the needle again, which is when she contracted AIDS. However, as a theory, this is highly implausible. Fortunately, Winston Groom shed some light on the situation in the 1995 sequel, ‘Gump and Co.' Jenny died of Hepatitis C, according to the author.
She developed the condition as a result of her drug use, and the virus was not recognized until 1989. Because the film is set in the 1980s, it explains why the doctors were unable to help her. A little research reveals that the disease can be spread through drug use and blood contact.
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Jenny misused drugs heavily in her worst days, and it's not surprising that she became infected with the virus. However, it begs the question of why their child did not contract the disease, given that hepatitis C may be passed from mother to child through nursing. With the author's confirmation, the true reason for Jenny's death can be determined.
