Clown Dies in Front of Macy's Parade Viewers

Robert Blasetti went into cardiac arrest while making balloon animals
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 23, 2012 6:44 AM CST
Clown Dies in Front of Macy's Parade Viewers
Spectators react as a float with Santa Claus passes by during the 86th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Thursday Nov. 22, 2012, in New York.   (AP Photo/Tina Fineberg)

A sad footnote to yesterday's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: A man dressed as a clown died while marching in the event, beside his similarly dressed wife and in front of spectators. The New York Post reports that Robert Blasetti, 67, went into cardiac arrest while making balloon animals at Sixth Avenue and West 39th St. "All of a sudden he collapsed and fell on his back. People came to him right away. It didn't look like he was breathing. People started pumping his chest," said a witness. A Macy's rep confirmed the report, but didn't verify whether Blasetti was an employee of the store. (More Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade stories.)

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