Esaw Snipes-Garner, the widow of Eric Garner, whose 2014 death at the hands of NYPD officers galvanized a nationwide reckoning on police brutality, has passed away at age 58.
Her death was confirmed by Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network and BET News, who said she died from complications related to longstanding health issues.
Though Esaw never sought national attention, she became an enduring figure in the fight for racial justice after her husband’s death sparked global outrage—and a powerful call to action.
A Family Shattered, A Movement Born
Eric Garner, a 43-year-old Black man and father of six, was confronted by police on a Staten Island sidewalk in July 2014 for allegedly selling loose cigarettes. Officer Daniel Pantaleo placed Garner in a banned chokehold as others restrained him.
Captured on a widely shared cellphone video, Garner’s repeated cries of “I can’t breathe” became a rallying cry for protests across the country.
He was pronounced dead shortly after at a local hospital. The New York City medical examiner ruled his death a homicide caused by compression of the neck and chest. Despite federal investigations and widespread demonstrations, no criminal charges were brought against the officers involved.
To the world, Eric Garner’s death was emblematic of a deeply flawed policing system. To Esaw Snipes-Garner, it was the devastating loss of the man she’d loved since they met in the 1980s on an old-school telephone party line.
“He told me he was older than he really was,” she once said with a smile. “But once we started talking, we couldn’t stop.”
A Reluctant But Relentless Advocate
After Eric’s death, Esaw became a powerful, if reluctant, voice against police violence. She marched in the streets, spoke at national rallies, stood beside elected officials, and demanded not just accountability, but transformation.
Her advocacy took many forms: public speaking, civil litigation, and collaboration with civil rights organizations like the National Action Network. She did all of it while also supporting her children and grieving in public.
“She weathered more than any single person should have to,” said Dominique Sharpton, adding that Esaw’s determination and dignity in the face of sorrow became a model of strength for grieving families across the nation.
Legacy of Love and Resistance
Though she and Eric Garner were separated at the time of his death, their deep bond and shared life remained central to her story.
They married in 1989 and raised a blended family, grounded in humor, devotion, and resilience. “He was more than a hashtag,” Esaw reminded the public. “He was my husband, my best friend, and the father of our children.”
Her passing marks another chapter in the tragic saga of a family forever changed by injustice. Yet, like her husband’s final words, Esaw Snipes-Garner’s voice echoes still—through policy debates, protest chants, and every family that finds courage in her example.
Snipes-Garner is survived by her children, extended family, and a legacy that—though born from grief—continues to illuminate the road toward justice.
