Hospice nurse who’s seen 100s of people d.ie says everyone always says the same thing on their deathbed

January 9, 2026 by youssef

The second regret, which she says comes up even more often, centers on an area of life where people actually have far more control.

Julie said: “The main thing people say, that I don’t hear a lot of people mention, is ‘I wish I would have appreciated my health’.”

It’s easy to take our health for granted when we’re feeling well, but as soon as sickness hits, it can make us long for our health again.

Having seen that happen on a much more impactful scale, Julie has attempted to learn from her patients and now writes a ‘gratitude list’ each night to remember what people take for granted, and what she’s grateful for.

She explained: “I like the fact that I can breathe, I’m walking around, I can feel the sunshine – little things like that.

“I think the biggest thing I hear from people [who are] dying is that they wish they would have appreciated how well they felt before.”