Over $2.5 Million Raised so Far for Kids Left Orphaned by Uvalde Tragedy

A GoFundMe site has been set up for the kids of the late Joe and Irma Garcia. Credit: GoFundMe.

Amidst all the tragedy surrounding Uvalde, Texas, there is a little good news to share: over $2.5 million has been raised for four kids who were orphaned by the shooting. Meanwhile, an anonymous donor is offering to pay the funeral costs for all 21 people who died, while Texas Governor Greg Abbott also said that free mental health services will be available for the community for those who ask for them.

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One of the most heartbreaking stories from Uvalde is that of the Garcia family. Robb Elementary School teacher Irma Garcia was taken down by the gunman while trying to protect kids, and her husband Joe passed two days later from a heart attack. Relatives said Joe “died of a broken heart.”

The couple leaves behind four children ranging in age from 13 to 23.

An online GoFundMe campaign was set up by Irma’s cousin Debra Austin to raise $10,000 for the kids–but has already received more than $2.4 million, proving there is still love and kindness in this world. While it won’t bring their parents back or fix the children’s broken hearts, it will help them survive with one less thing to worry about.

Debra writes on the GoFundMe page:

Hi, my name is Debra Austin, Irma Garcia was my cousin and one of the teachers killed at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas(5/24/2022). 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. Please donate anything you can to help her family. 100% of the proceeds will go to the Garcia family for various expenses. Thank you and God bless.

I am equally devasted 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.

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Another donation website, the Robb School Memorial Fund, has also been set up for those wanting to give.

Meanwhile, as mentioned above, an anonymous donor has offered $175,000 to pay for the funeral costs of all 21 lost on that awful day. Governor Abbott announced the donation at a press conference Friday:

“An anonymous donor who attended the meeting and provided $175,000 to ensure that every cost of every family concerning anything about funeral services is going to be taken care of,” he said. ‘No family who is suffering from incalculable heartbreak at this time will have to worry about a single cost with regard to anything concerning this travesty.”

While none of this will bring back the departed or cure our ailing hearts, it’s still nice to see that there’s love, generosity, and caring out there. The evil deeds of one person do not define us, nor do they define our country.

Squeeze your kids tight this Memorial Day weekend, and pray for those who can’t.

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