Did actress Debbie Reynolds die of a broken heart just one day after losing her daughter, Carrie Fisher? Many folks we know would say the answer is yes. We don’t know how much scientific evidence exists to support this claim, but then, science can’t always explain everything. We do know that it’s not uncommon for a perfectly healthy individual to die soon after losing a spouse, child, parent or close family member.

We’ll wager a guess that most of our readers have known an individual in their lifetime whose death was quickly followed by someone who loved them very much. How many times have you heard the prediction that a surviving spouse won’t be far behind, even though they appear to be in good health?

We’re convinced that the brain has tremendous willpower over the body and often, the desire to go on without a loved one just isn’t there. Trying to think back over the years, we can recall several instances in which one family funeral was closely followed by another, especially when it involved couples who had been married for many years. It’s sad, especially for other family members who must deal with the loss of not one, but two, people they love.

We’ll probably never understand the human heart and how it functions other than from a medical standpoint. We’ve made great strides in treating and curing heart ailments, and many people are alive today thanks to modern medicine, but even most doctors will admit that the heart appears to have a mind of its own and sometimes even medical miracles can’t control it.

We count ourselves among those who believe it’s entirely possible to die of a broken heart. Even grief experts concur that a death quickly followed by the surprise death of another family member probably occurs more often than we might think. What we really need to try to understand is how we can best mend  the broken hearts of those who have lost a loved one and convince them that despite their grief, they still have a lot to give to family and friends as well as  to society and we don’t want to lose them.