Does it say what happened?

Died of sadness did make me wonder about something self inflicted.

That's always a possibility but I've seen my Grandpa die of a broken heart after my Grandma died. The night of her funeral he asked his children if they thought someone could die of a broken heart and after that it took him less than a year to go himself. I'd never considered that saying to be true until then but I watched it happen.

Yes, I also took it to be a tactful-as-possible way to say that.