The husband of one of the two teachers killed in the Texas elementary school shooting has died of an apparent heart attack.
Joe Garcia, the husband of Irma Garcia, who was shot and murdered in the classroom while protecting her kids, died two days after the massacre.
Joe and Irma had been married for 24 years and were said to be “high school sweethearts.”, leaves behind four children.
The Garcias have four children ranging in age from 12 to 23 years old, two boys and two girls.
Garcia Family
Debra Austin, Irma Garcia’s cousin, has established fundraising for their children.
An online campaign for the Garcia family had received about $1.6 million (£1.3 million) by Thursday night, exceeding its $10,000 target.
“It is with great sadness, I must inform you that Irma’s husband Joe went away tragically this morning due to a health emergency. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers.
“I truly believe Joe died of a broken heart, and the pain of losing his lifelong love was just too much for him to take,” Austin continued.
John Martinez, who identified himself as Garcia’s nephew, also reported Joe’s death on Twitter.
“I must let you know with great regret that my Tia (aunt) Irma’s husband Joe Garcia has passed away due to grief,” he said.
Texas School Shooting
Irma Garcia and Eva Mireles, a co-teacher at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, were killed in a mass shooting on Tuesday.
Mrs Garcia was found by cops “hugging children in her arms pretty much till her dying breath,” Mr Martinez told the New York Times following the tragic gunshot in Uvalde.
He said on a fundraiser website, “She gave herself defending the students in her classroom.” “She was a hero,” says the speaker.
Mrs Garcia and Eva Mireles, the second teacher, slain in the incident, had been teaching together for five years and had a combined experience of more than 40 years.
Before police entered the building and fatally shot the shooter, Salvador Ramos, 18, killed 19 children.
Meanwhile, the White House has announced that US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill would go to Texas on Sunday to express their condolences to the families of the Robb Elementary School shooting victims.
The Bidens will grieve with the community that has lost 21 lives, according to a statement released by the White House.
Read More – ‘We have to act’: Biden after Texas school shooting
