The husband of one of the teachers who was killed in the Texas school shooting, which claimed the lives of 19 students and two teachers, died from cardiac arrest on Thursday, KHOU reported.
Irma Garcia taught third grade at Robb Elementary School and died protecting her students, according to her cousin Debra Austin.
“Irma was a wife, a mother of 4, a cousin, a sister a daughter, an aunt and a wonderful person,” Austin wrote on a GoFundMe page for the couple’s family. “She would literally do anything for anybody……no questions asked. She loved her classroom kids and died trying to protect them.”
Guadalupe “Joe” Garcia and Irma’s son Jose, 19, explained the dedication his mother had for her students, saying she “treated her students as her own,” according to the Daily Mail. The outlet added, citing Jose, that she “decorated her classrooms with college memorabilia, to inspire them to reach their academic potential.”
“She wanted to instill that in their brains. They were her lifeblood. She loved engaging with children and teaching them. She loved her job and she loved her co-workers,” he continued.
Austin also confirmed the passing of Irma’s husband on Thursday morning, Joe Garcia writing, “I truly believe Joe died of a broken heart and losing the love of his life of more than 25 years was too much to bear.”
While Joe Garcia reportedly died of a heart attack, broken heart syndrome is an actual condition.
“Broken heart syndrome is a temporary heart condition that’s often brought on by stressful situations and extreme emotions,” according to the Mayo Clinic. People who experience this “may have sudden chest pain or think they’re having a heart attack.”
When we are grieving and downcast, Psalm 9:9 says, “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”
The couple was married for 24 years and was described as childhood sweethearts, per the Daily Mail. Just hours before his death, Joe Garcia visited his wife’s memorial, according to Daily Wire.
Joe Garcia, who was also a teacher, reportedly loved barbecuing with his wife and enjoyed listening to music, per Daily Wire.
As of Friday afternoon, over 2 million dollars have been donated to the family’s GoFundMe page.