Actually, it sounds as if he packed a lot of heroism into that "good and productive life," so I would hardly call it a waste. Imagine if he had valued his life over those of his fellow workers.
Do you remember that riveting dialogue from "Field of Dreams?"
Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner), trying to convince the elderly Dr. Graham that he (Graham) was supposed to travel back to Iowa with Kinsella to live out his baseball dreams: "But Dr. Graham, you came so close to being a real big league ballplayer, and you got sent down to the minors after playing in the outfield for one inning. You were a major leaguer for five minutes, and that is a tragedy."
Archie (Doc) Graham (Burt Lancaster): "Son, imagine if I had been a doctor for five minutes. Now THAT would be a tragedy."