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Francis X. Becker suffers heart attack

Nassau County legislator hospitalized, undergoes surgery

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Nassau County Legislator Francis X. Becker Jr. has been hospitalized after suffering a heart attack last weekend. He was being treated at South Nassau Communities Hospital and underwent surgery on Tuesday to have a defibrillator implanted. He is reported to be resting comfortably.

Becker, 62, a Republican from Lynbrook, has represented the 6th Legislative District, which includes Lynbrook, Malverne, North Lynbrook, Valley Stream and portions of Franklin Square, Hewlett, Rockville Centre and Woodmere, for 20 years.

In a Facebook post Sunday night, his daughter, Beth Sutton, said that her father was improving. “His vitals are stable, and they are slowly weaning off some of the supports they have in place,” she wrote. “He is awake and happy to be alive.”

 “Unfortunately, our friend Fran Junior had a heart attack on Sunday,” Lynbrook Mayor Bill Hendrick said at Monday night’s village board meeting. “I will say it was a little severe.” Becker went to South Nassau by car, Hendrick added, and when he arrived, he had to be resuscitated by AED.” 

 Sutton told the Herald that her father was working around his house on Saturday when he suddenly began feeling severe chest pains. Fortunately she and her boyfriend were there, and Becker asked them to take him to South Nassau.

    “There was a blockage in his heart, and the expert staff at South Nassau immediately removed the blockage,” Sutton wrote. “A full recovery is expected.”

She added that her father advises anyone who has the same symptoms to call 911. “The Becker family wants to thank their family, friends and entire community for all their best wishes and prayers,” she wrote.

Hilary Becker, a Lynbrook village trustee and Francis’s younger brother, said that Francis was doing well.

A 1971 graduate of Lynbrook High School, Becker attended Nassau Community College and Hofstra University, where he studied business finance. A certified financial planner, he is president of Becker & Associates Planning Services in the village. He and his wife, Clementine, live in the home of his late grandfather, former U.S. Rep. Frank J. Becker. They have three grown daughters.

Becker lost two congressional elections, in 2010 and 2014, to 4th District incumbent Carolyn McCarthy, a Mineola Democrat. He recently announced that he would not seek another term in the County Legislature.

In an unfortunate twist, another Becker brother, Luke, who lives in Maryland, also underwent surgery on Tuesday to remove a tumor from his lower spine. He is also doing well, and the family asks that people keep both men in their prayers.