need some help with english to italian translation! :)

so im about to do a tattoo in italian since i have relatives down there ( im swedish ), but i dunno the correct translation of this text i want to do.
Here it goes :

"not until we're close to death we're alive for real"

..or something like it if an exact translation is impossible.. thanks for your help guys!

Here is my try, I've tried to keep the meaning as it is and not switch the words.

Non prima di arrivare alla morte, siamo veramente vivi.

thx! can anyone confirm?