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Activist Erica Garner Hospitalized After Heart Attack

By Camila Domonoske

Published December 25, 2017 at 1:58 PM EST

Erica Garner, daughter of Eric Garner, leads a 2014 protest against the grand jury's decision not to indict a police officer involved in the chokehold death of Eric Garner. Erica Garner, now 27, has been hospitalized after a heart attack, her mother tells the <em>New York Times </em>and <em>New York Daily News. </em> — Erica Garner, daughter of Eric Garner, leads a 2014 protest against the grand jury's decision not to indict a police officer involved in the chokehold death of Eric Garner. Erica Garner, now 27, has been hospitalized after a heart attack, her mother tells the *New York Times* and *New York Daily News.*

Erica Garner, a 27-year-old activist whose father's dying words became a rallying cry for protest against police brutality, has been hospitalized in serious condition after a heart attack, according to multiple reports.

Eric Garner, a black man who died in 2014 after a white NYPD officer put him in a chokehold, was recorded repeatedly telling the officer, "I can't breathe." A grand jury did not indict any officers over his death, a decision that prompted protests across the country.

Eric Garner's oldest daughter, Erica, was a major force behind protests for justice for her father. In the years since she has continued to advocate more broadly, against police brutality and in support of racial equality.

Now she is hospitalized on life support, her mother, Esaw Snipes-Garner, told The New York Daily News.

Snipes-Garner told the Daily Newsthat Garner suffered asthma-induced cardiac arrest on Saturday night. Garner, a mother of two, gave birth to her youngest child in August and the pregnancy put a strain on her heart, Snipes-Garner told the paper.

Garner is in a medically induced coma, Snipes-Garner told the New York Times on Monday.

Garner's family posted on her Twitter account on Monday, to thank people for their prayers and support. "At this moment there are no updates," the family said.

The Garner/Snipes family wants to thank you all for your prayers and support. At this moment there are no updates on Ericas condition. They ask that you take this holiday to enjoy your loved ones and for self care. More updates will come as they are available.
— officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) December 25, 2017

In the years since her father's death, Erica Garner has remained active as a protester and speaker. She made headlines in February when she endorsed Bernie Sanders for president. Garner told NPR's Rachel Martin that she was impressed by Sanders' record.

"He's been, basically, a protester his whole career. He's not scared to go up against the systematic racism that exists in America today," Garner said.

"I want our young people, especially our protesters that's putting [their] bodies on the line to bring racial issues to the forefront, to know that their vote matters," she said.