Grieving Husband of Teacher Killed in Texas School Shooting Dies

Joe and Irma Garcia leave behind four children

The husband of Irma Garcia, one of the teachers killed in Tuesday's gruesome mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, has died.

Joe Garcia, 50, suffered a "medical emergency" on Thursday, just two days after the massacre at Robb Elementary School, where 19 children and two teachers, including his wife, Irma, were fatally shot.

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Joe delivered flowers to his wife's memorial on Thursday morning. When he returned home, he collapsed, according to Irma's nephew, John Martinez, who tweeted about his uncle's death.

"When he got home, he was at home for no more than three minutes after sitting down on a chair with the family, Martinez told NBC News. "He just fell over. They tried doing chest compressions and nothing worked. The ambulance came and they couldn’t, they couldn’t bring them back.”

The Garcias were high school sweethearts and were married for 24 years. They leave behind four children, according to Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District's website.

“I don’t even know how to feel. I don’t believe it. I don’t want to believe it," said Martinez.

Irma was a fourth-grade teacher and taught at Robb Elementary for 23 years. She died shielding her students from gunfire, according to witnesses.

The town Uvalde, Texas grapples and comes to terms with the loss of life after a Tuesday school shooting that left 21 dead.
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