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A ����ֱ�� State University student whose darkest day was seen around the world on the cover of Life magazine has died.

John Cleary, 74, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, passed away Oct. 25 at his home surrounded by his loving family.

Cleary’s story is inextricably linked to ����ֱ�� State’s most defining moment. As a 19-year-old freshman architecture student from Scotia, New York, Cleary came to ����ֱ�� State in the fall of 1969 with dreams of designing buildings and a camera in hand to document his college experience. On May 4, 1970, that camera would place him at the center of one of the most significant events in American history.

That sunny spring afternoon, Cleary was making his way to class when he decided to photograph the Ohio National Guard’s presence on campus during an anti-war demonstration. He described the moment he was struck by a guardsman’s bullet as feeling “like being hit in the chest with a sledgehammer.” The impact sent him to the ground, unconscious.

The photograph of Cleary lying wounded near Taylor Hall, surrounded by fellow students trying to save his life, became one of the most iconic images of that tragic day. Captured by student photographer Howard Ruffner, the image appeared on the cover of the May 15, 1970, edition of Life magazine, bringing the reality of the shootings into homes across America and around the world.

Determination and Resilience

What happened next revealed the depth of Cleary’s character. Recovering at home that summer, he refused to let the shooting derail his aspirations. His ����ֱ�� State professors sent him assignments and coursework by mail, along with encouraging letters and honest critiques that helped him stay connected to his studies.

“My goal was always to get back and complete my work on time and not let what happened to me change my goals or aspirations,” Cleary explained in interviews. True to his word, he returned to ����ֱ�� State and graduated on time in 1974 with his Bachelor of Architecture degree – a testament to his determination and the support of the ����ֱ�� State community.

A Life Well Lived

Cleary went on to build a successful career as an architect in Pittsburgh, where he practiced for decades before retiring. He married his college sweetheart, Kathy, and raised a family. His son, Andy, would later attend ����ֱ�� State, bringing the family full circle with the institution that had so profoundly shaped their lives.

Despite building a fulfilling life away from ����ֱ��, Cleary carried permanent reminders of May 4: damage to one lung and the knowledge of how close he had come to not surviving at all. “One inch one way or another and I probably wouldn’t be here,” he reflected.

Returning to Remember

For many years, Cleary stayed away from campus for the annual May 4 Commemorations. The memories were too painful, the trauma too fresh. But approximately 25 years after the shootings, he began returning for commemorations, particularly after his son’s time at ����ֱ�� State renewed his connection to the university.

These annual pilgrimages became increasingly important to him. In recent years, Cleary worked to build deeper relationships with his fellow wounded survivors – whom they called their “Blood Brothers” – the nine students who had shed their blood on ����ֱ�� State’s campus that day. He traveled to visit survivors in Oregon, Pennsylvania and Ohio, strengthening bonds forged in tragedy.

“It’s a healing process for me to come back and be able to spend time with the other wounded students,” Cleary shared at a recent commemoration. In 2025, during the 55th annual May 4 Commemoration, he was honored with the privilege of ringing the university’s Victory Bell, a moment he described as deeply meaningful.

“John did not join the movement of remembrance in the early years after he was wounded. Like many survivors of trauma, he carried his pain privately. But in time – encouraged by his blood brother, Tom Grace – John found his purpose. He became not just a participant in our struggle, but one of its most thoughtful and devoted teachers,” wrote Roseann “Chic” Canfora, Ph.D., professional-in-residence at ����ֱ�� State and a survivor of the May 4 shootings.

A Message for Future Generations

Throughout his later years, Cleary became increasingly committed to ensuring that May 4 would not be forgotten. He spoke to students, gave interviews and participated in oral history projects at ����ֱ�� State’s library. His message was consistent and urgent.

“It’s important to not let people forget what happened and to understand the significance,” he emphasized. “It could happen again. I think to remember and honor the students who were slain gives some weight and hopefully prohibits that kind of action in the future.”

Cleary’s greatest hope was that Americans could learn to have civil discourse, to speak their minds without fearing for their lives and to make their points without resorting to violence. “We need to practice kindness and respect, respect freedom of speech and learn to get along with people we don’t agree with,” he said.

“John was a testament to the power of reconciliation. He had every reason and right to lead with anger and bitterness for the rest of his life, yet the John we came to know was kind, sensitive and an inspiration. We are all better for knowing him and will be guided by his strength within the legacy of May 4, 1970,” said ����ֱ�� State President Todd Diacon.

An Unexpected Reunion

In 2019, nearly 50 years after that fateful day, Cleary finally met Ruffner, the photographer who had captured his image. 

The meeting at University Library, where Ruffner was debuting his book of previously unpublished photos from May 4, was emotional for both men. 

Ruffner showed Cleary images he had never seen before, including a powerful photograph of students holding hands in a protective circle around him as others worked to save his life.

“They were holding hands, kind of protecting me,” Cleary said, moved by the visual reminder of how his fellow students had come to his aid in those desperate moments.

Their reunion was shared nationally by “NBC Nightly News.”

A Living Legacy

Cleary’s connection to ����ֱ�� State runs deeper than the 13 seconds of gunfire that wounded him. His story embodies resilience, the power of education and the importance of remembering history. By returning year after year to honor the four students killed – Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder – and to stand with his fellow survivors, Cleary helped ensure that May 4, 1970, remains a living memory rather than a forgotten footnote.

His journey from wounded freshman to retired architect, from reluctant survivor to committed advocate for remembrance, reflects the complexity of healing from trauma while honoring those who did not survive. Through his participation in May 4 Commemorations, his willingness to share his story and his insistence that we learn from the past, Cleary has been an invaluable voice in helping ����ֱ�� State and the nation understand the profound lessons of May 4.

As ����ֱ�� State continues to educate new generations of students, Cleary’s message endures: Remember what happened here. Honor those who were lost. Learn from the past. And never take for granted the freedoms that students exercised that day – freedoms that, as he witnessed firsthand, came at an unthinkable cost.