Well, I believe people don't die until it's supposed to happen, for whatever cosmic reasons it may be that we don't understand. So protected? I can totally believe that.

I once had a guy I was really close to record a message for me a few days before his death, and even though we lived on the opposite sides of the country his family sent it to me. He told me that he'd be watching over me from wherever he was and if I got up there with him before I was old and gray he'd drop kick me back down. I still believe him to this day.