Washington state Sen. Doug Ericksen, 52, (R-Ferndale) has died after a battle with COVID, the Seattle Times report.
“We are heartbroken to share that our husband and father passed away on Friday, Dec. 17,” his family said in a statement. “Please keep our family in your prayers and thank you for continuing to respect our privacy in this extremely difficult time.”
His cause of death was not immediately confirmed on Saturday but, last month Ericksen wrote to his legislative colleagues and said he had tested positive for COVID while in El Salvador and needed monoclonal antibodies.
“I took a trip to El Salvador and tested positive for COVID shortly after I arrived,” he wrote. “I cannot get back home, and it’s to the point that I feel it would be beneficial for me to receive an iv of monoclonal antibodies (Regeneron). I have a doctor here who can administer the iv, but the product is not available here.”
“Do any of you have any ideas on how I could get the monoclonal antibodies sent to me here,” Ericksen continued. “Ideally, I would like to get it on a flight tonight so it would be here by tomorrow.”
He arranged a medevac flight from El Salvador and was treated in a hospital in Florida. Since then there has been no information on his condition or location for three weeks.
On Nov. 19 a former colleague who had contact with Ericksen’s family said he was in stable condition at a Fort Lauderdale hospital. However, he wasn’t listed as a patient in any large Fort Lauderdale hospitals, according to the Bellingham Herald.
Ericksen has been a vocal opponent of Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee’s COVID restrictions and mandates. He was critical of continuing measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, including business closures, social distancing and masking.
He had introduced legislation intended to protect the rights of the unvaccinated and had repeatedly called on Inslee to resign, the Seattle Times reports.
His vaccination status was unknown.
