David Bloom

For other people named David Bloom, see David Bloom (disambiguation).
David Bloom
Born David Jerome Bloom
May 22, 1963
Edina, Minnesota, United States
Died April 6, 2003(2003-04-06) (aged 39)
Iraq
Cause of death Pulmonary Embolism from Deep Vein Thrombosis
Nationality American
Occupation Television journalist
Years active 1988–2003

David Jerome Bloom (May 22, 1963 – April 6, 2003) was an American television journalist (co-anchor of Weekend Today and reporter) until his sudden death in 2003 after a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) became a pulmonary embolism.

Early and personal life

David Bloom was born in Edina, Minnesota, the son of Laura Jean (Carmichael) and Harold James Bloom. He was an avid ice hockey player and state champion in high school debating in the National Forensic League. Bloom attended Pitzer College in Claremont, California, from 1981 to 1985 where he earned a degree in political science. He was a national debate champion.[1]

Bloom was survived by his wife, Melanie, and three daughters: Nicole, Christine, and Ava. The Blooms were residents of Pound Ridge, New York, at the time of his death. After his death, Melanie started working with the Coalition to Prevent DVT.[2]

Professional career

He began his television career at WKBT-TV in La Crosse, Wisconsin, covering local government stories. Bloom worked as a general assignment reporter at KWCH-TV in Wichita, Kansas, from 1988–1989.

In 1989, Bloom joined NBC's WTVJ in Miami. He covered Hurricane Andrew and while reporting the aftermath he chased off would-be looters. In 1991, he won a regional Emmy for investigative journalism for his report on South Florida's role in the shipment of arms to Iraq. He won both the Peabody Award and the RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award for his hurricane coverage.

In 1993, Bloom joined NBC News as correspondent in Chicago, Illinois, and moved to Los Angeles, California in 1995. Bloom covered the presidential campaigns of 1996 and 2000 for the network and in 1997 became NBC's White House correspondent. Former President Clinton said that Bloom's "integrity and good humor will be missed." [3] During his tenure with NBC, Bloom reported on major stories including presidential races, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Washington-area sniper shootings, and the war in Bosnia. According to the late Tim Russert, former NBC Washington bureau chief, "You couldn't keep him away from a story. "Whenever something was breaking, he wanted to be there."[3] In March 2002, Bloom became co-anchor of Weekend Today along with Soledad O'Brien, a position he served until his death.

Iraq reporting and death

Plaque at War correspondents Memorial Gathland State Park

Bloom's name was pegged to a vehicle he used in Iraq, the "Bloom Mobile." It was a Ford F250 4 wheel drive Flatbed truck with a SeaTel stabilized marine dish retrofitted by Miramar, Florida-based company Maritime Telecommunications Network, with live television and satellite transmission equipment so he could continuously broadcast reports as troops made their way toward Baghdad.[4] Reporting live, round-the-clock, as the American armored column fought north across the desert toward Baghdad, Bloom commented offhandedly on the cramped conditions, excessive heat and lack of sleep that came with the mission.[5]

On April 6, 2003, Bloom was traveling with the U.S. Third Infantry Division in Iraq while covering the war in Iraq. He had been on assignment in Iraq for several weeks when a blood clot in his leg traveled to an artery in his lungs to cause a fatal pulmonary embolism, as a result of a condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).[6] "The clot in Bloom’s leg was likely brought on by spending long days and nights cramped inside armored vehicles. One night he called Melanie from a satellite phone in the middle of the night, exposing himself to hostile fire just to get a few minutes outside of an armored tank because his legs had been cramping up."[7]

Bloom's funeral was at New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral, less than a block from his NBC News office.

The David Bloom Award

In 2006 The National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters established an award to honor excellence in enterprise reporting. ABC World News Tonight co-anchor Bob Woodruff received the award in its first year.

References

  1. ↑ List_of_National_Debate_Tournament_winners
  2. ↑ Merli, Geno (February 2012). "From High-Energy to Hospitalized in Less Than a Week". The Coalition to Prevent Deep-Vein Thrombosis. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  3. 1 2 "NBC News' David Bloom dies in Iraq", USA Today, April 6, 2003
  4. ↑ Technology Review: "You Don't Understand Our Audience"
  5. ↑ Kleber, Mick. "DVT: David Bloom's silent killer", USA Today, April 11, 2003
  6. ↑ ‘My husband should be living today’: Melanie Bloom, the widow of former NBC correspondent David Bloom, on preventing the often-silent killer DVT March 3, 2005]
  7. ↑ Stump, Scott. "10 years later, David Bloom remembered", Today, April 5, 2013

External links

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