What does 'To die of natural causes mean?

@mipen2006 (5528)
Australia
June 18, 2009 7:55pm CST
A news story reported a pilot flying across the Atlantic died of natural causes. I haven't heard this for so long, I wondered if he died of old age. At 61 I would have thought he was too young. Also, being a pilot he would have been subjected to strict medical check ups, so you would think he was a healthy man. Nowadays, poeple die of some cause, cancer, heart attack, or some blood disease etc., but I haven't heard of natural causes for a long time. I think most of us would like to die of natural causes, but what are our chances?
3 people like this
3 responses
@lumenmom (1986)
• United States
19 Jun 09
I could be wrong but I think what they mean "by natural causes" is it was something to do with the physical body, there was not any outside influence or foul play. In other words, they did not die at the hand of another person nor by an external accident. They do include illness and disease in the natural causes category. Since he was only 61, it is a good chance he might have had maybe a heart attack or something.
@mipen2006 (5528)
• Australia
19 Jun 09
Personally, I'm not a great believer in check ups for this peoblem, and that cancer. I really don't want to find out that I have to have a lot of treatment, when I feel 100%, or that I only have a few months/years to live. I'd rather enjoy my life knowing when my time comes, my creator will call.
@vetiver12 (163)
• Spain
19 Jun 09
very very few, it´s most common in our society to die from some illness, you know, contamination, not organic food......so the chances are very little
1 person likes this
@mipen2006 (5528)
• Australia
20 Jun 09
Well, I'll be seventy next year, and I've still got a lot dto do before I'm ready to go. However, I may not have an option, right?
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
19 Jun 09
It means that he die without an intervention for outside world. very often natural course is related to heart failure. It is also used when people die in strange places or situations.
1 person likes this
@mipen2006 (5528)
• Australia
19 Jun 09
Your description is perfectly correct, and the second part of your response is possibly why it was reported that way. Thanks polachicago.