The husband of Irma Garcia, a teacher that was killed in the Uvalde school shooting earlier this week, has died after suffering a heart attack early Thursday.
via Newsweek:
Ernie Zuniga of KAAB news in San Antonio, Texas first reported the death of Garcia’s husband, Joe on Twitter.
“Joe Garcia, the husband of Irma Garcia, one of two teachers shot and killed in Uvalde, TX on Tuesday, has reportedly suffered a fatal heart attack. Joe and Irma were high school sweethearts and married 24 years. They leave behind four children,” Zuniga’s tweet said.
Additionally, Irma Garcia’s nephew, John Martinez, also reported the death of Joe Garcia on Twitter.
“EXTREMELY heartbreaking and come with deep sorrow to say that my Tia Irma’s husband Joe Garcia has passed away due to grief, i truly am at a loss for words for how we are all feeling, PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR FAMILY, God have mercy on us, this isn’t easy,” Martinez, who recently posted a GoFundMe following the death of his aunt, wrote on Twitter.
The news comes just two days after Irma Garcia was fatally shot by 18-year-old Salvador Ramos at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on Thursday. Garcia was one of two teachers that were killed in the school shooting incident, as well as 19 children.
On Wednesday, Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Lieutenant Chris Olivarez told CNN that all 21 victims killed in the shooting incident were located in one classroom.
On another GoFundMe page set up by Garcia’s family, Irma Garcia’s cousin, Debra Austin wrote, “I am equally devasted [sic] to report Irma’s husband Joe has tragically passed away this morning(5/26/2022) as a result of a medical emergency. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. I truly believe Joe died of a broken heart and losing the love of his life of more than 30 years was too much to bear.”
Eva Mireles, 44, was the other teacher killed in the shooting, according to reports.
A student who survived the school shooting incident on Tuesday recently spoke with KESN-5 in San Antonio and said that Garcia and Mireles saved his life.
“They were nice teachers,” the student told KESN5. “They went in front of my classmates to help. To save them.”
While speaking with the New York Times on Wednesday, Martinez said that his aunt was “always been optimistic about everything, and just so loving with the people in her life.”
According to the New York Times report, Martinez added that law enforcement officials found his aunt in the classroom “embracing children in her arms pretty much until her last breath.”
Our hearts go out to the Garcias and every other family impacted by this tragedy.
EXTREMELY heartbreaking and come with deep sorrow to say that my Tia Irma’s husband Joe Garcia has passed away due to grief, i truly am at a loss for words for how we are all feeling, PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR FAMILY, God have mercy on us, this isn’t easy pic.twitter.com/GlUSOutRVV
— JohnMtz ?? (@fuhknjo) May 26, 2022
