Three parents at our high school school of approximately 750 died last year, all in the same month. One was a drug overdose (shocking for me bc she was one of the beautiful mothers that came across as perfect, but not shocking for those who knew her). The other two were natural causes.

Eh, I lost 6 friends to opioid ODs in my 20s so if you made it this far you are already ahead of the game.

The price of being a hillbilly…but seriously, “like flies” is an exaggeration.

I also had a female friend die of cancer at 51 last year.

It's true. 2 of DH's college friends died at 49, a coworker of his at 50, and one of our neighbors at 51.

Mid-50s. I have several friends that have had brushes with cancer, a couple that have sadly passed much too young.

I’m 50. Had two friends die last month. One 49 one 57.

I'm 57. I stay active, but it's much easier to injure myself now. I did some yardwork a few months ago with my spouse removing a huge fallen tree, and I'm still not 100 percent. 25 years ago it wouldn't have been an issue, but I still have muscle damage from the lifting and dragging of branches. I'm retired, so I can rest. But I still can't go on my daily power walks. If I were still working, it would be a nightmare trying to sit all day. Younger people underestimate how much harder things get with age.

Good news if nothing bad happens in 50s you have 15 or 20 more years until the cliff of 70.

Yes. I'm 46 and multiple friends have had cancer diagnosed this summer, some aggressive, some manageable All similar age.

If you have lots of friends that got that thing in their arm I’d expect them to start dropping like flies.

Yes, 50 is old. It by no means will be everyone, but seeing peers die, have heart attacks, or develop cancer will no longer be unusual events.

51. I would not say "dropping like flies," but I have had several acquaintances in my age group die of something other than suicide, homicide, accident, or congenital illness, which were by far the most common things to cause people I knew to die earlier in our lives.

In the olden days at Spencers gift shop in the Malls, I remember seeing "over the hill" party supplies and gag gifts. I didn't understand it then (nor did I understand the need for edible underwear at the time) but now I get it.

I've had soooooo many major health things since I turned 50. My parents are in their late 80's and no major health problems aside from the degenerative stuff that only kills you slowly...

51, dropping like flies seems extreme. But tia no longer the rarity. Also remember it need not be your generation. It could the generation above that you are close to

Someone said in another thread that if you are employed and healthy in your 50s, count yourself blessed because “people start dropping like flies in your 50s.”

Is this true?

I am 43. I have had one health scare so far. My friends tend to be around my age, give or take 10 years. I’ve had a few friends with breast cancer, 1 died from triple negative and 1 is likely dying from the same now. I had 1 friend who had a hysterectomy. An acquaintance’s older husband (I think he was 53) dropped dead of a heart attack when our kids were in early elementary.