By Jason Jordan
The Evening Tribune, Hornell, N.Y.
HORNELL, N.Y. — On the hottest day of the year, a subtle breeze carried a stone cold silence.
Monday evening, communities spanning Steuben County lined streets and highways to send off a protector and revered figure in the community.
A procession of dozens of New York State Police vehicles escorted the body of Nicholas F. Clark home for a final time after the 29-year-old trooper was shot and killed early Monday morning while responding to a domestic dispute in the Town of Corning involving a suicidal man, according to authorities.
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In Hornell, hundreds gathered in the streets along state Route 36 to say ‘goodbye’, to say ‘thank you’, and to pause in a moment peaceful reflection for a fallen hero.
In the early evening hours, the rumored route and time of 6:30 p.m. spread by word-of-mouth only. As 6:30 came and passed, it didn’t shake the resolve of those who wished to pay tribute to Clark for his service.
As 7, then 7:30 approached, the crowds only grew in size.
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In the meantime, those who knew Clark recalled his driven demeanor and love of family. Those who didn’t offered words of thanks for his service, and some shed a tear.
Shortly before 8 p.m., the motorcade arrived in the Maple City, greeted by hands over hearts, salutes and a reverent bowing of heads.
On its way southbound to the HP Smith & Sons Funeral Home in Canisteo, the procession passed under a massive American flag, hanging from the outstretched bucket of the Hornell Fire Department’s ladder truck.
In the trail of the procession, a long silence continued, as onlookers failed to find the words that would restore comfort and peace of mind in the wake of a senseless tragedy.
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©2018 The Evening Tribune, Hornell, N.Y.