Making Sense of a Senseless Death

Nori Williams, MS, CGC holds the distinction of being the first genetic counselor to work within a Medical Examiner's Office. In that role, she works with families in the aftermath of Sudden Unexplained Death—cases in which an otherwise healthy person dies without a clear cause, and genetic testing of the deceased ultimately reveals an underlying cardiogenetic condition such as Long QT Syndrome. Nori shares stories of grief, resilience, and hope from families she has worked with, walking through what it means to learn after a loss that the heart condition responsible may affect other living relatives—and what genetic counseling can offer in that moment.