Erin Hyers was hit by two stray bullets while driving on the 3100 block of North 22nd Street in Northeast Philadelphia Tuesday night.
“I felt as like acid was being poured on my leg. Using my flashlight, I looked and that’s when I [saw] the blood,” she told NBC10’s Leah Uko.
By Wednesday, she was out of the hospital and back to serving her community.
For Hyers, who is canvassing low-income neighborhoods ahead of the midterm elections, it was important to hit the streets again as soon as she could.
After losing her mom to a year-long ALS battle last week, she attended the viewing just a day after she was shot by the stray bullets.
She also intends to canvass in her mother’s honor now that she’s back on her feet.
Right now, Hyers says her union’s focus is to get people to vote, as well as help them find quality jobs. It’s an effort that she says could help solve the city’s gun violence crisis.
“Yuu have to have stricter gun laws,” Hyers said. You can’t take away any process for someone to get a gun.”
“This was important to my mom,” Hyers added. “She always raised me on ‘voting is your voice. If you lose your right to vote, you lose your voice.’”
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
For all the candidates, issues and important dates that voters should know about in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, go to NBC10’s Decision 2022 page. You’ll find tools to help you navigate the midterm elections, including when to vote and who will be on your ballots in the primaries and November general elections.
