67-year-old Robert Blasetti was marching in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, dressed as a clown.   

--He was making balloon animals for people in the crowd at Sixth Avenue and West 39th Street . . . when he COLLAPSED and fell onto his back.    

--His 62-year-old wife Irene was also marching in the parade as a clown . . . and helped give him CPR until an ambulance arrived.  But unfortunately Robert was pronounced dead of cardiac arrest when he arrived at the hospital.

(NY Post)