Genesis Villella says she believed she would finally be granted access to her slain mother's benefits this week, after fighting almost eight years to receive them.

“For the first time in almost eight years, I had hope that this would come to the end," said Villella.

Those hopes were ultimately dashed on Tuesday when Villella says New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie blocked legislation that would ensure orphan children would receive their dead parents city pension benefits for life.

“He went to great length to prevent this from getting on the floor," said Villella.

At just 20 years old, she became a parent to her two younger siblings, when their mother, Miosotis Familia, was shot and killed on the job.

“I promised my mom at 17 that if anything were to happen to her, that I would be there to take care of my brother and sister, I promised her that and I thought I would finally be fulfilling that promise to completion with this bill," said Villella.

Villella says the speaker's main complaint was the language of the bill and that he told her she will have to wait until January to try and push the legislation through again.

News 12 reached out to Speaker Heastie's office for an interview and are waiting to hear back.