In an emotional tribute, the daughter of deceased Robb Elementary School teacher Irma Garcia, who also lost her father Joe Garcia to a heart attack days later, assured they would forever be remembered.
Lyliana Garcia, 16, put a letter on a memorial left for Joe, 50, in the same location where he laid flowers for Irma, 48, only hours before his death at the Uvalde, Texas, massacre commemoration.
Garcia had a heart attack just two days after shooter Salvador Ramos killed 19 kids and two instructors, including Irma. The pair, who met in high school and wedded for over 25 years, left behind Lyliana and three other kids, and the family believes Joe died of a broken heart.
‘I know this was too much for you, Dad. It was too much for your heart to bear. I will battle for you and mother for the rest of my life. Your names will be remembered. Lyliana, your daughter,’ she wrote.
It was written on a heart that was affixed to a cross that bore Joe’s name and was also put at the spot, along with other signs of loss and sadness.
Heart wrenching video Joe was seen visiting a memorial to his late wife only hours before he died of a broken heart, according to family.
Joe, 50, was videotaped carrying a huge arrangement of red roses to the Uvalde, Texas, memorial site just two days after his wife Irma was murdered. Joe was spotted crying at one point, overtaken by the happenings of the week. Joe died of a heart attack just hours later, with family claiming the grief of his wife’s death for the deadly cardiac arrest.
Joe Garcia visited his wife's memorial this morning to place flowers on a cross with her name on it. Joe is the husband to Irma Garcia, one of the teachers killed in the Uvalde school shooting. Not long after Joe visited his wife's cross memorial, he suffered a heart attack due to the immense "grief" he was experiencing and died. Joe and Irma had four kids together. READ MORE: https://www.khou.com/article/news/special-reports/uvalde-school-shooting/husband-uvalde-teacher-dies-heart-attack/273-77d11e8a-750e-4064-9450-4fd4f569b742
Posted by KHOU 11 News on Thursday, 26 May 2022
A GoFundMe campaign for the couple’s now orphaned kids has garnered more than $2.6 million to date. The page’s initial target was only $10,000.
Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland, ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ actress Porsha Williams, YouTuber Mona Kattan, writer Maureen Orth, and Billy Joel’s daughter, singer-songwriter Alexa Ray Joel, have all contributed more than $2,000 apiece.
They had 4 kids, three of whom were recorded hugging each other at a memorial service for their parents later that night. Cristian, 23, Jose, 19, Lyliana, 16, and Alysandra, 12, are among the youngsters.
Trinity Arriola, a local resident and teacher, expressed that she taught one of Garcia’s kids in 2022. Arriola recalled explaining that they were lovely kids.
Debra Austin, Irma’s cousin, created the crowdfunding campaign, writing on the website, she genuinely felt Joe died of a broken heart and losing the love of his life of more than 25 years was too much to handle.
Irma ‘loved her school pupils and died attempting to safeguard them,’ she added.
Father Eduardo Morales blessed the three siblings in attendance and informed them, ‘We are your family.’ Your parents will always find a way to take care of you.’
Cristian is in the military boot camp, while Jose, the couple’s second son, attends Texas State University. Following Tuesday’s massacre at the hands of 18-year-old shooter Salvador Ramos, many more accounts of individual losses and acts of heroism have emerged.
The Garcia children, however, have been subjected to one of the most devastating cascades of sadness.
Irma, her co-teacher Eva Mireles, 44, and 19 of their students were slain by shooter Salvador Ramos, 18, who was later shot dead.
