Grief grips Texas: Husband of teacher killed in school shooting dies of heart attack

Irma Gracia‘s widower died of a heart attack just days after his wife was killed in a shooting.

Joe Garcia, the Texas elementary school teacher’s husband, died of a heart attack on Thursday, two days after his wife died in a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, according to the couple’s nephew, John Martinez, and a close family member.

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According to the family, the pair, who had known each other since eighth grade, were planning to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary this year.

The website of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District states that Irma Garcia was a fourth-grade teacher who had been with the school for 23 years.

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“I love to BBQ with my husband, listen to music, and take country cruises to Concan,” Garcia was seen writing on the school district’s website.

Irma Garcia had also been co-teaching in the same classroom for five years with Eva Mireles, the other teacher killed in the incident.

Mireles was a fourth-grade teacher and married Ruben Ruiz, a police officer on the school district’s police force. The couple’s daughter shared a post remembering Mireles.

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“Mom, I have no words to describe how I feel right now, tomorrow, and for the rest of my life. I never thought that I would be here writing this type of post for you. Mom, you are a hero. I keep telling myself that this isn’t real. I just want to hear your voice,” Adalynn Ruiz wrote.

“You are so known by many now and I’m so happy that people know your name and that beautiful face of yours and they know what a hero looks like,” she added.

The two teachers were among 19 students, predominantly third and fourth graders, who were killed when alleged gunman Salvador Ramos opened fire on the classroom on Tuesday.

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Ramos allegedly used an AR-15-style weapon in the second-worst school massacre in U.S. history, only days after turning 18 and purchasing two firearms. Another 17 people were injured, including three law enforcement personnel.

Ramos was killed inside the school after exchanging gunfire with responding law enforcement officers.