NBC's David Bloom Dies Covering Iraq War

YahooNews.Com ^ | 4/6/03

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

Sun Apr 6, 8:57 AM ET

NBC News correspondent David Bloom is shown in this undated handout photo. Bloom, who has been reporting on the war from the Iraqi desert, died from a pulmonary embolism, Sunday, April 6, 2003, the network announced. Bloom was the anchor of the weekend Today show and had been traveling with U.S. troops for several weeks in Iraq He was 39. (AP Photo/NBC News, HO)

NEW YORK - NBC News correspondent David Bloom, who has been reporting on the war from the Iraqi desert, collapsed Sunday and died from a blood clot, the network said.

The 39-year-old anchor of the weekend "Today" show was traveling with troops about 25 miles south of Baghdad when he suddenly collapsed, said Allison Gollust, a spokeswoman for NBC News.

He was airlifted to a nearby field medical unit, where he was pronounced dead from a pulmonary embolism, Gollust said. She said his death was not combat related.

Bloom lived in the New York area with his wife, Melanie, and three daughters. He had been on assignment in Iraq (news - web sites) for several weeks, reporting from the middle of desert sand storms and while columns of military vehicles rumbled toward Baghdad.

"In times like these, a journalist's contribution to his country is measured in terms of illustrious commitment and sacrifice," NBC Chairman and CEO Bob Wright said in a statement.

"There was no one more devoted to his calling than David Bloom and for that we are both grateful and humbled."

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

Thoughts and prayers to the Bloom family but how did they know he died from a pulmonary embolism? Was an autopsy performed already???

[Puppage]

how did they know he died from a pulmonary embolism? Was an autopsy performed already?

Hmmmm, THA'S a very good question.Perhaps, they "believe" what it was?

[capt. norm]

No autopsy needed if it's a bad one. It shows up quite well.

[ConservativeMan55]

Is that something related with the heart? or head?

[Catspaw]

I would presume the doctors at the field hospital would be able to diagnose what killed David Bloom.

He was a fine reporter and I looked forward to his reports from the 3rd. He will be missed.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

Did not know this, thanks.

[Jarhead_22]

Pulmonary=lungs

[ConservativeMan55]

Ok. thanks for the info. Now I remember doesn't it mean a blod clot in the lungs?

[Timesink]

She said his death was not combat related.

PE in a war zone in the absence of any preexisting condition(s) would probably be considered "combat related." There are others ways to go besides being shot or Rachel Corried.

[ErnBatavia]

Blood clot breaking loose and travelling to the heart - boom.

A good friend died similarly at the age of 40. He'd noticed a painful lump on his inner thigh, called the doc, and reported directly to the hospital. He was being treated for that when it broke loose.

Not much one can do about it, except maybe take preventative thinners.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

NBC's David Bloom, 39, Dies in Iraq

Sunday, April 06, 2003

NEW YORK-NBC news correspondent David Bloom, who was embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq, died Sunday of a pulmonary embolism, the network said.

Bloom, the 39-year-old anchor of the weekend Today show, was embedded with troops about 25 miles south of Baghdad when he suddenly collapsed, according to Allison Gollust, a spokeswoman for NBC News. His death was not combat related.

He received medical attention at the scene before he was airlifted to a nearby field medical unit, where he was pronounced dead, Gollust said.

Bloom, who lived in the New York City area with his wife, Melanie, and three daughters, had been on assigment in Iraq for most of the last month.

"In times like these, a journalist's contribution to his country is measured in terms of illustrious commitment and sacrifice," NBC Chairman and CEO Bob Wright said in a statement. "There was no one more devoted to his calling than David Bloom and for that we are both grateful and humbled."

[Timesink]

I would presume the doctors at the field hospital would be able to diagnose what killed David Bloom.

You need an autopsy to know 100%, but generally if you just fall over out of nowhere and don't respond to CPR, it's probably a PE. (No, I'm not a doctor, I just stole it from the other thread.) He really looked HORRIBLE on the air for the last couple of days.

[PatrioticAmerican]

Could this be caused by an injected air bubble??

[capt. norm]

Embolism can be anything that blocks the flow of blood in the circulatory system.

Divers get a nitrogen embolism when they get the fatal form of "the bends". The nitrogen bubbles that expand as they reach lower pressures and, in addition to blocking flow, tend to be compressible enough to make the system like an un-primed water pump...air within they system is the culprit in both.

[denco]

In every big story there always seems to be a stand-out reporter. David Bloom is the one reason I have watched a lot of MSNBC during the war coverage. From his coverage we could get a real sense of what our troops were actually going through. While at Church this morning, I will definitely put his family up in our prayer concerns. He was a good man doing a good job. Denco

[ImpBill]

First - prayers and thoughts with the Bloom family.

Second - Pulmonary emboli are quite deadly and easily detected, when looked for. Have had personal experience with them.

[TN4Liberty]

Thoughts and prayers for him and his family. I thought he was doing a nice job in his reports, as were all the embedded reporters I have seen.

[A. Pole]

Pulmonary embolism is one of the dust induced lung diseases . Sand storms got to him?

[A. Pole]

PE in a war zone in the absence of any preexisting condition(s) would probably be considered "combat related."

It could be related to the combat conditions like sand storms. See my previous post.