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Original poster

To ask what age you would say is no longer dying young

383 replies

Whyohwhy88 · 01/01/2026 19:35

Although hard still I feel from 80 onwards it’s expected

OP posts:
TriciaA1991 · 07/01/2026 21:08

I have lost my two closest friends - both cancer. One was 52, one 64. The first felt very young. The second still felt young - and unfair that both should die of incurable types of cancer..
Love to everyone on this thread who have lost people too young.

happychops · 06/01/2026 08:58

I think it depends on the individuals health and lifestyle. I know quite a few people in their mid 80s that are very fit and active and a lot healthier than some half their age.

Fangisnotacoward · 03/01/2026 22:37

Under 70 I would deem "young"

PinkHyperQueen · 03/01/2026 22:20

80

dh280125 · 03/01/2026 22:19

75

OneLoyalGreyFish · 03/01/2026 22:12

ByPoisedRaven · 01/01/2026 20:18

I'm sorry for your loss. That is definitely too young.

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Thank you, Christmas was especially hard without him 😢

cramptramp · 03/01/2026 21:58

Glowingup · 03/01/2026 17:23

Lol it’s really not normal to die 30 years earlier than the average life expectancy

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True, but if I hear of someone dying in their 50’s it doesn’t shock me at all.

EligibleTern · 03/01/2026 17:59

I think it's about relative vs absolute. You can be young to die compared to the average age at death, without being a young person/dying young (pre-middle aged).

Glowingup · 03/01/2026 17:24

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 03/01/2026 16:42

DH and I were talking about this recently, in the context of a relative who died in his mid 50s. We felt that he hadn't died young, but he was young to die.

What exactly is the difference?

Glowingup · 03/01/2026 17:23

cramptramp · 03/01/2026 15:49

Below 50’s for me. Anything above that seems pretty normal.

Lol it’s really not normal to die 30 years earlier than the average life expectancy

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 03/01/2026 16:42

DH and I were talking about this recently, in the context of a relative who died in his mid 50s. We felt that he hadn't died young, but he was young to die.

BruFord · 03/01/2026 16:38

cramptramp · 03/01/2026 15:49

Below 50’s for me. Anything above that seems pretty normal.

@cramptramp Perhaps in the past but not nowadays. My friend (52) with terminal cancer will leave behind teenagers- it’s completely normal to have children in your 30’s now and dying before they’re adults is surely on the young side. Not young, but def. on the younger side.

letrozolecycleone · 03/01/2026 16:34

My dad used to say he would be happy with ‘three score years and ten’ but when he was near to death at 82 he cried as he said there’s never enough time and he wished he had more.

Rhaenys · 03/01/2026 16:30

cramptramp · 03/01/2026 15:49

Below 50’s for me. Anything above that seems pretty normal.

It’s definitely not normal to die in your 50s.

Rhaenys · 03/01/2026 16:26

I’d define dying young as under 70, but if someone dies in their 70s I’d still say it was before their time.

cramptramp · 03/01/2026 15:49

Below 50’s for me. Anything above that seems pretty normal.

marilyntaylor · 03/01/2026 14:27

I’m 65 and I hope I’ve got about another 20 years left.

Scarlettpixie · 03/01/2026 14:22

75

My dad used to say he would be happy if he made it to 70 (which would also be the year 2000). He died aged 65 😢

Avantiagain · 03/01/2026 14:14

Late 70s. My mil was 70 which seemed young. My fil was 79 which seemed a decent age.

Wildefish · 03/01/2026 14:01

applegingermint · 02/01/2026 23:17

Hardly, otherwise we’d see 67 yo Olympians. With the best will in the world your physical capabilities are well past their peak.

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It was meant tongue in cheek. But to die at 67 would be considered to die young. In my opinion.

EligibleTern · 03/01/2026 11:47

deadbobaplace · 03/01/2026 01:07

Under 45 = young
Under 60 = untimely
Under 80 = sooner than might have been reasonably expected

All of course dependent on any underlying health conditions and/or lifestyle choices. It wouldn't for example be reasonable to expect a heavy smoker or type 2 diabetic to get past 80, though of course some will..

I think this is a good definition. No one is saying "young" about people in their 70s and 80s in real life. Someone who died at 75 after living a full life, maybe having children who are now middle-aged adults with children of their own, did not "die young".

Sometimes it seems like accepting that we do, in fact, get old, and that at a certain point we die, has changed to "every death is a devastating tragedy that happened too soon" and I don't think that's a healthy way to view death.

SatsumaDog · 03/01/2026 11:47

80+ I would say. My father is 88 this year and in pretty good shape. He walks a lot and has is active. He could probably do with getting into the gym and lifting some weights though. He’s never been particularly big, but I have noticed his muscle mass has been declining fairly significantly since he turned 80.

PandorasSockBox · 03/01/2026 07:26

As I am galloping up to 70, but have had friends, who died in their 20s and 30s, I would say under 60 is dying young, if from natural causes.

Isittimeformynapyet · 03/01/2026 06:24

Cienna · 01/01/2026 19:46

60-70+

So, 60 then?

That's young to me.

Sparklesandspandexgallore · 03/01/2026 06:19

I think it’s worth baring in mind that medical science keeps people alive when once they would have died.
Still being alive at 80 but having to live in a care home due to dementia for example is not living to me.
Quite frankly it’s just existing.
This skews the mortality figures.
There are also lots of people who seem shocked that a relative who smokes, drinks doesn’t eat healthily, doesn’t exercise, has had several strokes, has atrial fibrillation, had cancer etc. dies. Always seems bizarre to me. It’s not like they were a fit 20 year old.