How do you want to die?
Happy Friday! Let’s talk about this!
We have a relatively new database up on STLtoday that describes the ways people in Missouri and Illinois have died. Here’s an excerpt from the introduction to the database, which you can explore by clicking this link:
More than 150,000 people die each year in Missouri and Illinois. The information comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which compiles mortality data for the U.S. from death certificates in each state. Some deaths occur from multiple causes, but an overarching cause is determined for almost all deaths. More than 36,000 people in Missouri and Illinois died of some form of cancer in 2004. In St. Louis City, Jackson County, Mo., and Cook County, Ill., more people died from homicides than motor vehicle accidents in 2004.
In my home county in 2004, for example, 10,712 people died. Of those, the lion’s share were by what is described as “natural causes.” Ischemic heart disease was the leading single cause with 2,529 deaths.
I intend to live a good long life and then die in my sleep quietly at home; it isn’t going to be a surprise to anyone. Wish me luck with that.
How do you want to go?
Kurt is the director of social media for the Post-Dispatch, where he has worked since August 2002. He's been a journalist since 1982, covering municipal government, courts, education and two hurricanes as a reporter before becoming an editor. 
I want to be shot dead, by a jealous Husband, on my 99th birthday
I want to go by being shot by a jealous 25 year old husban!
It doesn’t matter to me how I would die, be it a car accident, heart attack, gun shot, etc…I just hope its instant. I don’t want to sit around in pain for a couple days and I don’t want my family to go through that.
It appears that this question has exposed some strange death fantasies, mostly related to dying while having sex with someone else’s spouse. Perhaps that next question should be, “Who do you recommend for counseling?”
I want to leave a big stain somewhere when I go
Well let’s see. First of all, some of you have some really peacful and tranquil ways of departing into the after life. Others…………..mayyyyyyyyyyyyy………..need to see a shrink. Me personally, I used to shoot squirrels and dogs as a child with my pellet gun. Some of them on purpose, but mostly for tearing my family and I’s trash up and scattering it over half the damn block (terrible stray dog problems in Jennings in the 80’s and early 90’s…LOL). So I always thought I might get eaten by a pack of dogs, but now I own a family dog and love dogs in general. I also used to think my hatred of cops might lead me to shooting it out in a blaze of glory with them, but I’ve since matured from the teen years and have grown to respect their work (not from the crooked ones). If they don’t bother me, I sure as hell won’t bother them. To be honest, I feel as though I’ll never die, even when I’m gone in the physical form, for I am God’s Son. Not the “Big Brother” Jesus, I’m simply a child of God. I feel old age is a beautiful blessing of the wise and wouldn’t mind living to be as old as I possibly can. I used to volunteer with senior citizens at the age of 10 yrs. old and always clung to people older than me rather than people younger than me or my same age. So I guess with all that said, I won’t put a number or description on it. I just hope I’ve been able to learn enough and live godly enough to meet eternal peace and teach those younger than I (most notably my own flesh and blood) how to be decent and comfortable human beings all while loving the Lord. PeAcE!!!!!!!
What an easy question if there ever was one. Bottle of good liquor, bottle of pills.
It would be nice to be sucked up to heaven, body and soul in a big wooshing sound. But I guess it put the undertakers out of work if much of this went on.
Matt… You can’t know that. You can believe that, but that’s all.
Also, usahats: You don’t know that either.