BBC news writer Stephen Evans was curious—he'd heard account after account of long-married elderly couples who, sometimes inexplicably, died a very short time from one another. In a recent article, he asks, "Can You Die from a Broken Heart?" What he found was interesting—research indicates that while the numbers of such incidents are small, if you've lost your life partner within the past month, your chances of heart attack or stroke double. The numbers are statistically significant.

The bottom line? As one key researcher, Dr. Sunil Shah, comments: "We often use the term a 'broken heart' to signify the pain of losing a loved-one and our study shows that bereavement can have a direct effect on the health of the heart."

Possible Preaching Angle:

Our well-being, even in our physical health, is so closely tied to those we love. Our losses directly affect us—even on the physical level. How good it is, in a world of loss and pain, that we have a God who is close to the broken-hearted (Psa. 34:18).

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on 12-29-16