Heat omitted from Adam Willson's June death certificate

Adam Willson died in his Tucson, Arizona home in June 2024 during a brutal heatwave, but his death certificate does not mention heat as a factor. His mother, Debbie Willson, believes the extreme temperatures contributed to his death, yet official records omitted this detail—a problem reflected nationwide, according to an investigation by NPR and Boston University.

Heat kills far more Americans each year than official data suggests, but the U.S. health system often fails to document its role. The issue is particularly acute in places like southern Arizona, where rising temperatures due to climate change have made extreme heat inescapable. Tucson now averages nine days per year over 110 degrees, up from less than one annually between the 1950s and 1970s.

Adam, 28, had DiGeorge syndrome, a genetic disorder that made him highly sensitive to heat, along with cerebral palsy and developmental delays. He and his mother relied on a swamp cooler to stay safe indoors, but when it broke in June 2024, they couldn’t afford repairs. With temperatures soaring above 105 degrees for 14 days that month, their home became dangerously hot. Adam’s health deteriorated, and despite his mother’s efforts to get medical help, he died. His death certificate, however, only listed natural causes related to his pre-existing conditions.

The omission highlights a systemic undercounting of heat-related deaths, masking the true toll of climate change on vulnerable populations. Without accurate records, policymakers and health officials lack the data needed to address the growing crisis, leaving families like the Wilsons without recognition of the environmental factors that contributed to their loss.