Timothy Joseph Russert was the father of the late Tim Russert, long-standing host of NBC’s Meet the Press who wrote about his father’s life and times in two books. The younger Russert died suddenly from a heart attack in June 2008 at the age of 58.
“Natural causes” is a frequently given cause of death - but what specifically does it mean? Specifying a cause of death is required by law in all states. Death certification provides public health statistics and prevents cover-ups of murder. A death certificate requires two things:
- A cause of death: a disease or injury directly related to the death (such as heart attack, AIDS, kidney failure) or the circumstances of death (gun shot wound, hanging)
- The manner of death: natural,accidental, suicide, homicide, unknown, pending
Natural causes is a loosely-defined term used by coroners describing death when the cause of death was a naturally occurring disease process, or is not apparent given medical history or circumstances. As long as a physician familiar with the patient agrees to sign the death certificate, no autopsy in required.
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