Wednesday 1 June 2022 10:10 PM Uvalde elementary school shooting: Funeral held for hero teacher and husband ... trends now
Uvalde teacher Irma Garcia and her husband were laid to rest on Wednesday in a heartbreaking ceremony as the community continues to mourn to loss of 21 lives.
Nineteen children and two teachers - Garcia and her co-teacher, 44-year-old Eva Mireles - were killed when an 18-year-old gunman burst into their classroom last week.
Irma, 48, was found inside her fourth-grade classroom clutching children to her body to protect them inside Robb Elementary School.
Her husband, Joe, was last seen attending the memorial for the victims of the shooting before collapsing and dying of a heart attack two days after the massacre.
He was said to have died from a broken heart.
Today, their caskets were adorned with matching white flowers as they were laid to rest, surrounded by their four children and the Uvalde community.
Irma, 48, and Joe Garcia were laid to rest on Wednesday, surrounded by their children and the Uvalde community
The couple's daughter Alysandra (pictured in flowery dress, left) and youngest son Jose (pictured in a white shirt and black tie, right) were seen placing flowers on their parents grave during the ceremony
The couple had been married for 24 years and were high school sweethearts
Alysandra and the oldest sibling Christian (pictured in flowery dress and dress blues) were seen paying their last respects to their parents caskets on Wednesday
Christian and Jose (pictured third back, right) were pallbearers and helped carrying the caskets inside Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Somber mourners were seen wiping away tears as the couple's sons served as pallbearers and helped carry the caskets into the private ceremony at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Among the mourners was US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.
Children clutched toys as adults held red roses to place over the caskets afterward at the burial service.
The large crowd gathered quietly around the gravesites with their heads bowed as they paid their last respects.
Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, who presided over the ceremony, honored the educator for protecting her students like she would her own children.
He said: 'Because you were there with them…You did what you would have done with your own children. You took care of them until your last breath.'
Most of the readings during Wednesday's service and the homily were in English, with Siller offering some words in Spanish.
'We are all hurting,' he said. 'In the midst of so much, please, please people need comfort, people need you...Let us all foster a culture of peace.'
On the school's website, Garcia's biography read how 'excited' she was to begin her 23rd year of teaching.
She also expressed pride in her children, who she said were gearing up for Marine boot camp, attending Texas State University, and enjoying another year of high or middle school.
The teacher also said in her biography that she loved to 'BBQ with my husband, listening to music, and take country cruises to Cancun.'
Siller also reportedly mentioned the slain children's name several times during his homily, according to the New York Post. He was also seen
