Husband of teacher killed in Texas Elementary School shooting dies of heart attack from grief

The husband of Irma Garcia, the fourth-grade teacher who died protecting students during a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School this week, has also died, the Garcia family announced on Thursday, May 26.

Ernie Zuniga of KAAB news in San Antonio, Texas first reported the death of Garcia’s husband, Joe on Twitter.

“Joe Garcia, the husband of Irma Garcia, one of two teachers shot and killed in Uvalde, TX on Tuesday, has reportedly suffered a fatal heart attack. Joe and Irma were high school sweethearts and married 24 years. They leave behind four children,” Zuniga’s tweet said.

Joe Garcia, the husband of Irma Garcia, one of two teachers shot and killed in Uvalde, TX on Tuesday, has reportedly suffered a fatal heart attack. Joe and Irma were high school sweethearts and married 24 years. They leave behind four children. pic.twitter.com/Rlk0M2B8nR

— Ernie Zuniga (@Ernie_Zuniga) May 26, 2022

In a GoFundMe shared online by Garcia’s family, cousin Debra Garcia Austin wrote that Joe died on Thursday morning “as a result of a medical emergency.”

“I truly believe Joe died of a broken heart and losing the love of his life of more than 30 years was too much to bear,” she wrote.

“EXTREMELY heartbreaking and come with deep sorrow to say that my Tia Irma’s husband Joe Garcia has passed away due to grief,” said a tweet from a man who identified himself as Garcia’s nephew and whose previous tweets about Garcia had been widely shared by other family members. “[I] truly am at a loss for words for how we are all feeling.”

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

The couple had been married 24 years and left behind four children, according to Garcia’s bio on the Uvalde school district’s website.

Garcia had taught at Robb Elementary for 23 years and was previously named ‘teacher of the year’.

She was one of two teachers killed by 18-year-old gunman, Salvador Ramos who also killed 19 children on Tuesday, May 24, in Uvalde, Texas.