survivor guilt

n. A sense of remorse for the fate of people who die and of failure to have done enough to prevent their deaths in persons who have lived through a life-threatening situation in which others did not. This is common among those who live through catastrophic events such as the 9/11 attacks and among the families of people who die of disease related to genetic predispositions. Most such persons ask the question Why me? repeatedly without finding a satisfactory answer.