Donations poured in to two fundraisers for the four children of Joe and Irma Garcia who died within 48 hours of each other.
$2.5 million was raised for the children of Irma Garcia, one of two teachers killed by an 18-year-old gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday, May 24.
Irma was killed alongside her co-teacher Eva Mireles, 44, and 19 of their students by a crazed gunman who was then shot dead by an elite Border Patrol agent.
Garcia’s husband, Joe Garcia died within hours of placing a bouquet of roses at a memorial for his wife and the other victims.
KHOU aired video that shows Joe, 48, and his four children – Cristian, 23; Jose, 19; Lyliana, 16; and Alysandra, 12 – visiting a memorial to his wife and their mother on Thursday. Two hours later, Joe died of a “broken heart,” according to his family members.
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. Not long after Joe visited Irma's memorial, he suffered a heart attack and died.
READ MORE: https://t.co/y8ccPq9pjZ pic.twitter.com/SfFKgChzbx
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) May 26, 2022
On Thursday evening three of the four Garcia children sobbed at a mass for their parents, as the town gathered to pay tribute.
Father Eduardo Morales blessed the three siblings who attended the service and told them: “We are your family. Your mother and father will always find a way to take care of you.”
Father Eduardo Morales blessed these children tonight during Mass telling them “We are your family. Your mother and father will always find a way to take care of you.”
The children of Irma and Joe Garcia. She was one of 2 teachers killed Tuesday
He died today of a heart attack. pic.twitter.com/wFgnUUBajV
— Cynthia Izaguirre (@wfaaizzy) May 27, 2022
The couple were high school sweethearts who were married for 24 years. Joe was a teacher, while Irma was a fourth grade teacher at Robb Elementary for 24 years.
Two GoFundMe pages set up to help the Garcia children had collected more than $2.5 million in donations by Thursday night.
Parents of the deceased students are outraged by officers who stood around for an hour while the gunman shot 38 people inside the school.
