Thread: Well, he died doing what he liked to do.

You hear that statement often. A guy is a pilot and his plane goes down and he dies and folks say, well he died doing what he enjoys doing. Or maybe he is a skydiver or scuba diver or does under cover police work. Do people really think when he got into that plane for that fateful flight he thought, gee, if I die today that's OK. Do you think folks who engage in risky pastimes or jobs really think about that?

Maybe we say that so the rest of the world finds it easy to deal with a death under those circumstances. Maybe then it doesn't seem like such a tragedy.

What do you think?

I don't know if saying things like that lessen the tragedy so much as they are an attempt to reinforce that the dearly departed lived life as they wished to. Of course, if what he loved to do was to drink heavily and then drive around......all bets are off.;-)

I honestly believe such a statement is more about consoling friends and family, reminding them that said "he" was doing something they loved and knew the risks. I'm fairly willing to bet that "he" would have reather LIVED doing what he liked to do.

All I know is that I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather did, not screaming in terror like the passengers in his car...

On the one hand I think I'd like to die in my sleep to avoid potential pain and suffering, on the other hand, I've never wanted to miss anything. When I was an ironworker , erecting structural steel, I saw some death firsthand and ...... even though I loved doing that work at one time, I wouldn't have had any consolation if I had been one of those who 'went off' and bounced.

As someone who regularly hikes into remote mountain trout streams (my only risky hobby other than shaving!), I can tell you that the prospect of dying 'with my boots on,' though not a prospect I relish, would be, to quote the old Indian speaking of Brad Pitt's character in "Legends of the Fall," a "good death." Good being a relative term here, as opposed to, say, suffering an aneurysm in an endless faculty meeting. So I happily take my chances with the gravity and rocks, or the slight risk of lightning, exposure, or drowning . I do it because it does more to keep me truly alive, and feeds my troubled spirit more than any other thing I do.

In any event, I suspect that we are all in more danger behind the wheel driving to our dangerous activities than we are doing the activities themselves. This is probably the ultimate YMMV topic.

edit: As you all know, most outsiders who find out we actually shave with str8s think we are borderline crazy, and that this is very dangerous; obviously, other than the occasional careless cut we all get, it's not really. But while I stand by what I said above, I must admit that the thought of the remote possibility of say, nicking my carotid with a spike-point and dying in spraying gouts of blood all over the bathroom horrifies me, and is NOT a way I'd want to go. Has anything like that ever even happened?

My overactive imagination and morbid curiosity will be the death of me yet, before anything else.

In my younger days I was a smoke diver (interior fire fighter). I never thought that 'this would be a good day and place to die' but I was always spiritual and mentally ready for the event should it happen. I knew each and every time I entered a burning building the chances of getting dead were much higher than if I were sitting in my recliner watching TV. Would I have died doing what I liked? Well... it depends on how you word the answer. I didn't like risking my life by entering a burning building but I was happy to be able to offer my assistance to people in need. In the end the results is the same, dead is dead. You only live once and then you're dead forever...

Originally Posted by Joed

You only live once and then you're dead forever...

There are a few SRPers that would disagree with that.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

You hear that statement often. A guy is a pilot and his plane goes down and he dies and folks say, well he died doing what he enjoys doing. Or maybe he is a skydiver or scuba diver or does under cover police work. Do people really think when he got into that plane for that fateful flight he thought, gee, if I die today that's OK. Do you think folks who engage in risky pastimes or jobs really think about that?
Maybe we say that so the rest of the world finds it easy to deal with a death under those circumstances. Maybe then it doesn't seem like such a tragedy.

What do you think?

Yes, they think about it, but they don't dwell on it. I accept the fact that death is waiting to collect his due; what I refuse to do is, stand in line to pay him. Let him get off his ass and come find me.

If I die today, it is O.K. with me. It's not that I'm void of emotion or I'm courting applause from my peers; it's because I've already been given 51 years to live. A lot of people never get 51 years.

It would be nice if the last face I see is a family member, that would be a good ending.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Maybe we say that so the rest of the world finds it easy to deal with a death under those circumstances. Maybe then it doesn't seem like such a tragedy.

What do you think?

I think what you said above is correct. It makes it a little easier on us in dealing with someone's death.

In vietnam I had a First Sergeant who was a WWII, Korean War & Vietnam Infantry vet. (A Combat Infantry Badge with 2 Stars) When I had a Pathfinder or Doorgunner mission and we were moving out at 3 or 4 in the morning he would come around to my tent with a hot cup of coffee for me and get me moving by saying " Get up Blum it's a good day to die" and hand me the coffee saying "God's speed son".

To this day I wonder in amazement why I am still alive. I was scared before every mission, most mornings like the one above I would set the coffee on the floor of the tent next to my cot and then step outside the tent with the dry heaves.
After a couple of minutes I would snap out of it, grab my gear and the coffee and head to the flight line without a second
thought. Emotions were just put on hold it pretty much until whatever was coming at you that day was over until the next time.