Husband of teacher killed in Texas school shooting has died
Police scrutinized for response to Texas mass shooting
Fourth-grade teacher Irma Garcia was one of two faculty members killed on Tuesday during a mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. Her husband, Joe, was killed in a shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas on Thursday morning. Family members said it was a medical emergency.
“I truly believe Joe died of a broken heart,” Irma Garcia’s cousin Debra Austin wrote on a GoFundMe page. “Losing the love of his life of more than 25 years was too much to bear.”
One of the couple’s nephews tweeted that Joe Garcia died after suffering a heart attack at home.
“These two will make anyone feel loved no matter what,” he tweeted. “They have the purest hearts ever. Please be with me every step.
Joe Garcia was 50 years old and had just gotten home from leaving flowers at his wife’s memorial when he “pretty much just fell over,” his nephew, John Martinez, told The New York Times.
CBS News has reached out to the Garcia’s family members for further information.
Martinez wrote on Twitter that his uncle had “passed away due to grief.”
“I truly am at a loss for words for how we are all feeling,” he said. God have mercy on us. This isn’t an easy task.
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
— john martinez (@fuhknjo) May 26, 2022
Dying from grief, known as broken heart syndrome, is caused by a surge of stress hormones, according to the American Heart Association, that is usually caused by an emotionally stressful event. Stress-induced cardiomyopathy is often caused by the death of a loved.
According to the association, it is often misdiagnosed as a heart attack because of similar symptoms. Both heart attacks can cause a dramatic change of rhythm but there is no blockage in the arteries in broken-heart syndrome.
Martinez said the couple were high school sweethearts and have four children, ages 23, 19, 15 and 13.
“No child should have to go through this,” Martinez tweeted. “My heart breaks”
A fourth-grader who survived Tuesday’s shooting told CBS affiliate KENS-TV that Irma Garcia and another teacher who was killed, 44-year-old Eva Mireles, saved his and other kids’ lives.
“They were in front of my classmates to help,” he said. “To save them.”
Following Tuesday’s shooting, Martinez said that his aunt “sacrificed herself protecting the kids in her classroom.”
“Irma Garcia is her name,” he said, “and she died a hero.”
Li Cohen is a social media producer and trending reporter for CBS News, focusing on social justice issues.
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I’m a journalist who specializes in investigative reporting and writing. I have written for the New York Times and other publications.
