60 West 55th Street: Where John Hughes and our childhoods died

AUGUST 18, 2009

Very little has been reported on the circumstances of the death of John Hughes. Reports from the media have been sketchy at best. "He had a heart attack in New York. On a morning walk." That's about it. And for many of us, that's not enough.

So please thank Movieline's Stu VanAirsdale for doing the legwork and giving us the details. In his article, Tracking Down the Place Where We Lost John Hughes, he reveals the events of the morning of Aug. 6:

"On the morning of Aug. 6, John Hughes was walking alone on West 55th Street in Manhattan when he was stricken with chest pains. Witnesses at the scene told Movieline he crossed south, stumbled to the water valves jutting from the wall at 60 West 55th Street, sat there and attempted to catch his breath. At 8:55, 9-1-1 operators received a call from one of the witnesses, who summoned medics to the building. Hughes was unconscious when they arrived 15 minutes later. Hughes was raced to Roosevelt Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead."

VanAirsdale was even more shocked to learn no memorial was left at the site, so he took matters into his own hands, leaving a photo of Hughes along with 16 candles at the spot.

"In the late-summer drizzle, I said goodbye. More mourners may or may not follow, but at least now they have the choice."

Thank you, Stu. Everyone should read your article.

[Movieline photo]

Posted by Steve Spears at 4:24:00 am on August 18, 2009 in

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