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ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The body of a soldier from New York who died in Afghanistan after collapsing during a Skype video chat with his wife was greeted on the tarmac of Greater Rochester International Airport on Saturday by scores of people, many of whom waved flags or saluted as his hearse rolled past.
By Gary Wiepert, APThe body of U.S. Army nurse Capt. Bruce Kevin Clark, who died in Afghanistan, carried across the tarmac Saturday at Rochester International Airport.
By Gary Wiepert, APThe body of U.S. Army nurse Capt. Bruce Kevin Clark, who died in Afghanistan, carried across the tarmac Saturday at Rochester International Airport.
Capt. Bruce Kevin Clark, 43, was an Army nurse from Spencerport who had attended The College at Brockport."He really was one of the best students I ever taught," said Margie Lovett-Scott, one of his nursing professors. "The younger students always migrated toward Bruce. He was a natural leader, a student leader right from the start. If I was not available, they went to Bruce."But just as striking were the number of attendees who had never met him. About 200 members of the Patriot Guard Riders were present, as were dozens more who were drawn to attendance by the tragic circumstances surrounding Clark's death."My niece has been deployed a few times, and I can't imagine that happening while I'm talking to her," said Kathy Barnard of nearby Greece. "I just feel so bad for his wife and the kids. It just gives me goosebumps. I can't imagine it."According to a statement released by the family, Clark showed no alarm or discomfort before collapsing suddenly April 30 while video chatting with his wife, Susan Orellana-Clark. Two hours passed as Orellana-Clark tried to get help for her husband before two military personnel arrived.For a time, Clark's family believed that he'd been shot because of the way he fell forward and what they thought was a bullet hole in the closet behind him. Army Criminal Investigation Command has since said that was not the case; that Clark's body had no trauma beyond minor scrapes and a possible broke nose, which was likely sustained when he fell forward. An investigation into the cause of his death is continuing.Clark was born in Michigan, which is where he met his wife. They married in 1999, and moved to Spencerport, Orellana-Clark's hometown, in 2000. There, they had two daughters, who are now ages 3 and 9.Clark worked four years at Highland Hospital before enrolling at The College of Brockport, from which he graduated in 2006. That year, he joined the Army. He was on his first deployment, in Tarin Kowt, Uruzgan province, when he died.For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.
