Brokaw a father figure to late journalist's kids

GREENWICH, Conn. (AP) - The memory of Christine and Nicole Bloom 's father is never far away.

At Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich, which the 17-year-old twins have attended since the third grade, the school's state-of-the-art broadcast facility is named for their dad, the late television journalist David Bloom , who died of a blood clot in his leg while covering the Iraq war for NBC in April 2003.

The television studio includes the former "Today" show set that Bloom used while serving as anchor of the weekend edition of the morning news program in Manhattan. Nicole now serves as co-executive producer of the school's monthly broadcast, aptly titled "Today from the Heart."

When they graduate from Sacred Heart in June, the girls will have another fatherly presence at the ceremony. Journalist and author Tom Brokaw , former longtime anchor of "NBC Nightly News ," is scheduled to give the commencement address at the ceremony, set for June 1.

The choice is fitting for the Bloom girls, who have known Brokaw since they were 7 years old and consider him a father figure. Brokaw has a home in nearby Pound Ridge, N.Y., where the Bloom family lived before recently moving to Darien.

"I think it's poignant for us because of our relationship with him," Nicole said. "It kind of brought our experience here full circle."

In 2003, Bloom was slated to speak at Sacred Heart's graduation. After Bloom's death, ABC journalist Bob Woodruff took his place.

"Now, having Tom speak here means a lot to us," Nicole said.

Thinking it would be appropriate because Christine and Nicole were graduating, Jayne Collins , head of Sacred Heart's Upper School , and Head of School Pamela Juan Hayes asked the girls' mother, Melanie, if she could suggest someone from NBC who could deliver the commencement address, Collins said. The twins' younger sister, Ava, is a fifth-grader at Sacred Heart.

"We never, ever expected that she would suggest Tom Brokaw," Collins said. "We were absolutely delighted because Christine and Nicole have been two very special students. To hear about their close relationship with Tom Brokaw, and how meaningful their relationship has been to the family, means so much."

Hayes added that having Brokaw speak at Sacred Heart was also appropriate because of the school's high-caliber broadcast journalism program.

"How wonderful it is that our girls are so involved in broadcast journalism, and how wonderful to have someone of his stature to speak at our graduation?" Hayes said.

Brokaw also served as a mentor to Bloom, who followed in the elder journalist's footsteps, serving as a White House correspondent for NBC and also hosting the "Today" show. The girls said their mother recounted that when Brokaw first met Bloom years ago, he asked where Bloom saw himself in his future career.

"Sitting in your chair," Bloom replied.

Brokaw just laughed.

While Nicole seems to be following in her father's footsteps, she also enjoys theater and will be playing Kim MacAfee in the school's upcoming production of "Bye Bye Birdie."

Christine, who has decided to attend Kenyon College in Ohio, enjoys math and science, and has wanted to be a doctor since she was little. But this year she is also taking, and enjoying, a constitutional law class. Nicole said their father had been set on becoming a lawyer, even taking the LSAT, before embarking on his career as a journalist.

The rest of the graduating class is also excited about hearing from Brokaw, and the Bloom girls said they believe he will have much wisdom to share.

"He's a great role model for everyone to look up to," Christine said.