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Yesterday Olympic skater Nancy Kerrigan said that her and her family plan to help her brother fight a state medical examiner’s finding that her father’s death was a homicide.

Her father, 70-year-old Daniel Kerrigan, died on January 24 after what police said was a physical struggle with his 45-year-old son Mark, who was charged with assault.

Two days ago, District Attorney Gerry Leone said that a medical autopsy determined the cause of death for Kerrigan’s father was “cardiac dysrhythmia” — an interruption or lack of a normal heartbeat that can lead to cardiac arrest. This, however, occurred after a physical dispute with reported neck compression that damaged his windpipe.

Supporting accused Mark, the Kerrigans family issued a statement disagreeing with the autopsy findings and stayed that Daniel had a pre-existing heart condition before the altercation.

Mark is undergoing a psychiatric evaluation after pleading “not guilty” to a charge of assault and battery on an elderly person.

In a letter released yesterday, Nancy said her father was her “safety net,” and “the ultimate role model” for her two brothers — “the guy they continue to try to emulate.”