In 2003, the death of NBC correspondent David Bloom shook the news industry. He died suddenly in Iraq from a pulmonary embolism. Eerily at 39, he had told his pastor that spiritually he was ready.
According to an NBC report at the time, in David’s final note to his wife, Melanie, on April 5th, the day before he died, he wrote “when the moment comes in my life when you are talking about my last days, I am determined that you and others will say ‘he was devoted to his wife and children, he was admired, he gave every ounce of his being for those whom he cared most about… not himself, but God and his family.’”
He also wrote, “I hope and pray all my guys get out of this in one piece. But I’ll tell you, Mel, I am at peace. Here I am, supposedly at the peak of professional success, but I could, frankly, care less. It’s nothing compared to my relationship with you and the girls and Jesus.”
And on the night before he left for Iraq, he told Rev. Matthew McGinness: “I’m almost afraid to say this, but I’m ready.”
In 2006, his three daughters, Nicole, Christine and Ava, began making appearances at Washington’s less obnoxious press event of the year: the Radio & TV Congressional Correspondents’ Dinner. Each year ever since, they show up and make a presentation to honor their father.
See them throughout the years, beginning with last night’s dinner at the Marriott Marquis hotel. (Photographs courtesy of C-SPAN.)
2014
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006