The sudden death of a 44-year-old Edmonton man after an eight-hour wait in a hospital emergency room has sparked a call for justice and accountability from his grieving family.
A Devastating Loss and a Plea for Answers
Niharika Sreekumar is mourning the loss of her husband, Prashant Sreekumar, who passed away on Monday, December 22, 2025, at the Grey Nuns Community Hospital in Edmonton. Prashant had arrived at the ER complaining of severe chest pain. Despite undergoing an electrocardiogram (ECG) and a blood test—both reportedly showing no abnormalities—he was told to wait. He died shortly after finally being seen, following an eight-hour delay in the emergency department.
"I want justice for Prashant," Niharika Sreekumar told Postmedia in an emotional interview from her home. The couple, both accountants, have three children, with their youngest requiring 24/7 care. Prashant was the family's sole breadwinner, leaving Niharika facing not only profound grief but also deep financial uncertainty.
The Final Day: From Morning Chai to Unbearable Pain
Niharika recounted that December 22 began as a normal Monday. Prashant made them chai tea before leaving for work. After three hours, he called her, reporting extreme chest pains. A client drove him to the Grey Nuns Hospital.
Hospital staff conducted an ECG and later a blood test. When the results came back as "unremarkable," he was given Tylenol for the pain and instructed to continue waiting. In a harrowing final phone call to his wife, Prashant said, "Niharika, the pain is way too much," struggling to speak through his discomfort.
When Niharika arrived, she accompanied her husband to the admission desk. He could barely stand, sit, or breathe. They were informed by a staff member that his pain was not considered acute and that others with more critical issues were ahead of him.
Demanding Accountability and Raising Serious Questions
Niharika Sreekumar is now demanding that hospital staff be held accountable for her husband's treatment. She questions whether negligence or even racism played a role in the lengthy wait and the assessment of his condition.
"We are all Canadian citizens," she stated. "We have worked and paid so much into the tax bucket in this country and the one time Prashant needed medical help, he was not given it."
Her call for a thorough investigation comes amid ongoing concerns about emergency room wait times across Alberta. The tragedy underscores the human cost of systemic pressures within the healthcare system, leaving a family shattered and searching for answers.
