Joseph,
All he indicated was that he was zoche to die al kiddush Hashem.
Not quite. He indicated that Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman died al kiddush Hashem because of tefillos the Chofetz Chaim davened with regard to himself.
DaasYochid,
Would you rather assume that R’ Elchonon died before his time?
Rabbi Elchonon was in his 60s when he was murdered. I also think he personally saw his murder as a kappara for the Jewish people.
It’s not a matter of separating dying al kiddush Hashem from dying; it’s s matter of separating dying al kiddush Hashem from dying shelo al kiddush Hashem.
Is being brutally murdered by sonei Yisroel the only way to die al kiddush Hashem? What about having the opportunity to say vidui and Shema and demonstrate faith and trust in Hashem even under the shadow of death, as opposed to R”L passing suddenly and unexpectedly?