The couple’s nephew raises money on a crowdfunding platform for the education of his four cousins, who have been orphaned in 48 hours
The tragedy comes twice for a family from Uvalde. Joe García, the husband of Irma, one of the teachers who was murdered when she was protecting her students from Salvador Ramos, died yesterday of a heart attack, as confirmed by relatives of the couple. The couple had been married for 24 years and had four children between the ages of 12 and 23 who in just 48 hours have been orphaned. “We are all in shock,” lamented John Martinez, the couple’s nephew.
Around 10 a.m. John, a 21-year-old student at Texas State University, received a message from his brother urging him to “pray for Uncle Joe.” He had just lost his wife, the mother of his four children. He believed that his uncle needed prayers, but the young man did not imagine the worst. And less than two hours later he got a call from his family saying that Joe had died after being rushed to the hospital after an apparent heart attack. “This is so overwhelming…”, expressed the nephew upon hearing the tragic news.
In the morning Joe Garcia, 50, had just returned to the family home after laying flowers at a memorial for the victims outside Robb Elementary School. He was in the kitchen, Martínez explained to the newspaper ‘The Washington Post’, when he “suddenly grabbed himself and fell.” His mother, who was in the same house with the family, pressed his chest until the paramedics arrived to take him to the hospital, where he lost his life. “He really did die of a broken heart and losing the love of his life for over 25 years was too much to bear,” Irma’s cousin Debra Austin said.
Only two days before, the family also lost Irma García. All “a heroine,” said her nephew. On the day of the massacre, the police found the teacher “protecting the children with her arms almost until her last breath,” John told The New York Times. “It wasn’t just her students. Those were her children, and she risked her life to protect them. That’s the kind of person she was her,” he added.
The couple, aged 50 and 49 respectively, left their four children orphaned: Cristian (23), José (19), Lyliana (15) and Alysandra (12). For this reason, John Martínez has started a crowdfunding on the Gofundme platform for “any expenses necessary for the future education of Joe and Irma’s children and for ongoing family needs,” the website states. Citizens have turned to the case. The collection already exceeds 557,000 dollars (520,000 euros).
the other heroine
Unfortunately, Irma was not the only victim of the Uvalde shooting. In addition to the 19 fourth graders, another hero died trying to protect her students from bullets. Eva Mireles, 44, “selflessly stood in front of her students to save their lives,” said her daughter, Adalynn Ruiz. “I’m so happy that people know your name and that beautiful face of yours and know how much of a hero she is,” she added in a tribute to her “sweet mommy of hers” on Twitter.
Eva was a teacher for 17 years. According to the biography posted on the school district’s website, she had “a supportive, fun and loving family” made up of her husband, Ruben Ruiz, an officer with the Texas Rangers, her college graduate daughter, Adalynn, and her pets, her “three furry friends” (Callie, Kane, and Koda). She practiced activities such as athletics, hiking and cycling.
Mireles had training in special education. Audrey García, the mother of a student, Gabby, remembers her for “going beyond” her duty as a teacher. She “she was a beautiful person and a dedicated teacher. She believed in Gabby and did her best to teach her,” she wrote on Twitter.