New York State Assembly

05/08/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/08/2026 14:34

Speaker Heastie Statement on the Passing of George Gresham

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 8, 2026

Speaker Heastie Statement on the Passing of George Gresham

I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of my dear friend and constituent George Gresham. For decades, George was a vital voice in the progressive movement in our state. A man who started out working in housekeeping at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital and working his way to MRI technologist, he worked his way up through the ranks of 1199SEIU. As president of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, he was steadfast in getting his union brothers and sister the fair wages, benefits and continuing education they deserved, while fighting for social justice across our state and our country.

While we will miss his voice and his advocacy, I know that I will miss his friendship. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones, and I offer my deepest condolences to them at this time.

New York State Assembly published this content on May 08, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 08, 2026 at 20:34 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]