Locals remember Dick Clark
The Burbank community this week mourned the loss of Dick Clark, the host of “American Bandstand” and New Year’s Eve countdown fixture, who died of a heart attack Wednesday at 82.
Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center remembered Clark, who was treated at the hospital in 2004 after suffering a stroke, as dedicated supporter.
Patricia Modrzejewski, president of the Providence Health & Services Foundation, said in a statement that the hospital “lost a wonderful friend today. Dick Clark stood among our heroes for his dedication to building a state-of-the-art neuroscience program at our hospital.”
Clark, along with his wife, chaired the committee that raised money to establish the hospital’s inpatient neuroscience unit, which was named in their honor as the Kari and Dick Clark Neuroscience Unit, Modrzejewski added.
“Our gratitude is deep, as is our sadness today,” she said. “Our thoughts are with Mr. Clark’s family.”
Julie Sprengel, the hospital’s interim chief executive, called Clark a “valiant fighter in his own recovery” and said he became a passionate advocate for other stroke patients.
“Because of his efforts, we have enhanced our neuroscience program to include new technology, which has helped draw top physicians, nurses and therapists to our program,” Sprengel said. “We are forever indebted to Dick and Kari Clark for their loving support.”
The community of Burbank, where Clark’s studios once were based, also took to social media sites Twitter and Facebook to express shock and remembrances.
“I danced on American Bandstand in HS living in Burbank, CA, and Dick Clark was an incredible man! RIP,” DeAnna Lee said on Twitter.
Clark, according to his publicist, suffered a “massive heart attack” and died after a medical procedure at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica.
After becoming a household name via his hosting of “American Bandstand” and the “$25,000 Pyramid” game show, as well as TV specials such as the Miss USA pageant, he became a fixture on the New Year’s Eve countdown from Times Square in New York City.
maria.hsin@latimes.com