In Memoriam, Goddammit

On Halloween, one of my former professors--an upbeat, funny, hyper-intelligent shaggy-haired Jewish guy--died of a massive heart attack at the age of 48. Today, at his memorial service, I shook the hand of his delicate, elderly mother hand and said, "I'm so sorry." Then I shook the hands of his teenaged children and said, "I'm so sorry."

If people have to die of heart attacks at 48, why can't it be a certain cardiac-impaired Vice President? Why can't it be a certain effectively anacephalic president? Why can't the human race be carefully pruned away such that the world becomes a better place?