Erica Garner, Activist Daughter of Eric Garner, Dead at 27

This is tragic. The self-described “Activist/Writer/Mother/Daddy’s Girl” Erica Garner has died. She was just 27 years old.

Erica became an outspoken activist for police reform after her father Eric Garner’s words of “I can’t breathe” were used as a rallying shout for a movement.

Eric Garner's death drew denunciation from the Black Lives Matter movement and led New York Mayor Bill de Blasio to reexamine the department's use-of-force policy.

Erica marched in demonstrations and set up a foundation in honor of her father. “People ask, 'When will you stop marching? What do you want from marching?' He was my father,” Garner said. “I will always march.”

Erica passed away this morning, after being in a coma since Christmas Eve. The coma was triggered by a severe asthma spasm. Her health had been poor; Erica had a heart attack shortly after giving birth to her son in August, and it was later discovered she had an enlarged heart.

When Erica suffered from cardiac arrest again on December 24, she was was hospitalized in Brooklyn, her family has now revealed. 

“Erica the world loves you. I love you. I am glad you came into our lives,” they said in a tweet. “May you find the peace in the next life that you deserved while you were here.”

The Reverend Al Sharpton told NBC New York that when Erica died she was surrounded by her family. “They stayed with her to the end—she was a warrior to the end.”

#RIPEricaGarner #BlackLivesMatter