Why Do They Do This?

[OneEyedDiva]

Why do reports of someone's death headline So and So Dies At Age 36? By the time it's reported, the person is dead. Shouldn't the headline say "died" or has died? Sometimes the "grammar police" in me takes over. If I'm wrong or there's a good reason this is done, please let me know. Here's one example of the usage which reminded me to post about it.
https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/36-year-old-daughter-of-Giants-co-owner-Steve-15474744.php
It's sad that he lost his daughter, likely by suicide or drug overdose since she was battling depression.

 

[Aneeda72]

I think you are wrong and right. Using the word dies indicates a certain level of surprise at the death, died is a past tense verb and simply indicates a person is dead. I suppose someone dying at 36 is still surprising for some people.

But with the virus, death in all age groups is becoming less of a surprise and more of an expectation.

 

[OneEyedDiva]

@Aneeda72 "Using the word dies indicates a certain level of surprise at the death."
I never knew of that distinction. A friend and I were just talking the other day about how young people are dying and we can't use the expression "you have your whole life ahead of you" anymore, so your last sentence is unfortunately so true.

 

[Aneeda72]

@Aneeda72 "Using the word dies indicates a certain level of surprise at the death."
I never knew of that distinction. A friend and I were just talking the other day about how young people are dying and we can't use the expression "you have your whole life ahead of you" anymore, so your last sentence is unfortunately so true.

It’s all so very sad. Over a 160,000 dead. Each life lost is awful, but each young life lost is horrific. What they could have become, what they could have contributed, and the loss of the generations of people they would have produced and those contributions lost as well.