The husband of Irma Gracia, the teacher who was among those killed in Tuesday's mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas has died of a heart attack, as per reports.
A nephew of Irma Gracia, John Martinez, posted on Twitter about the passing away of Joe Gracia.
"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(sic)," reads the Twitter post by Martinez.
The couple was married for 24 years and have four children- two boys and two girls- who are between 12 and 23 years of age.
"She was found by officers embracing children in her arms pretty much until her last breath," Martinez told the media. "My tia did not make it, she sacrificed herself protecting the kids in her classroom, i beg of you to keep my family including all of her family in y’all’s prayers , IRMA GARCIA IS HER NAME and she died a HERO. She was loved by many and will truly be missed," Martinez wrote in another post on Twitter.
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An online fundraiser for the Gracia family is currently being organised by Irma Gracia's cousion, Debra Austin. " Irma was a wife, a mother of 4, a cousin, a sister a daughter, an aunt and a wonderful person. She would literally do anything for anybody......no questions asked. She loved her classroom kids and died trying to protect them," writes Austin.
"I am equally devastated to report Irma's husband Joe has tragically passed away this morning(5/26/2022) as a result of a medical emergency. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. 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," Austin has written in the online fundraiser page.
Mrs Gracia was one of the two teachers who were killed in the massacre along with 19 children. Eva Mireles was the other teacher who was killed in the deadly shooting in a Texas school. Eva Mireles was working with Irma Gracia for 5 years.
On Tuesday, Salvador Ramos, an 18-year old, who is said to be a troubled high school dropout entered the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas and shot 21 people including 19 children.
