Life was mine to claim

I read a short story in which I don't understand the meaning of the phrase in bold type below :

"So it turned out they had saved me for money and nothing else. They had been searching for my will. Upon hearing her words, everything became clear: my body had died two times, but my spirit, my soul remained intact. I still had my siblings and relatives to turn to. Life was mine to claim. That is why tonight I am here to bid farewell to the deceased, just to know that I am still alive."

Thank you in advance , teacher