Massacre orphan: I will always fight for you Mum and Dad...
Girl’s tribute after Texas school gun horror
THE daughter of school massacre victim Irma Garcia has written a heartfelt tribute to her parents.
Irma, 48, died as she shielded her pupils from the gunman’s fire in Tuesday’s horror.
Husband Joe, 50, died two days later from a heart attack thought to have been brought on by the grief.
Daughter Lyliana, 15, left a message on a cross bearing his name at a memorial for the victims outside the courthouse in Uvalde, Texas.
It came as protesters yesterday heckled President Joe Biden as he visited the city, shouting: “Do something.”
Lyliana’s message reads: “Dad, I know this was too much for you. Your heart could not take it. I will spend the rest of my life fighting for you and mum. Your names will not be forgotten. Your daughter, Lyliana.”
Irma was gunned down with fellow teacher Eva Mireles, 44, and 19 students when Salvador Ramos opened fire.
Ramos was eventually killed by Border Patrol agents who broke in. Joe was leaving flowers at the memorial when he had his heart attack.
He had been married to Irma for 24 years and also had children Cristian, 23, Jose, 19, and 13-year-old Alysandra.
The couple, who married in 1997 after falling in love at high school, will be buried together following a private ceremony on Wednesday.
Son Cristian, who is training to be a Marine, is expected to help carry his parents’ coffins.
It is understood Irma and Joe’s younger children are being looked after by members of Joe’s family. A fundraiser organised by Irma’s cousin Debra Austin has raised almost £2million for them.
The family of another victim – 10-year-old Annabell Rodriguez – were inconsolable as they read the tributes to her at the memorial in the town square this weekend, surrounded by the flowers, cards and rosary beads left by other mourners.
Annabell was expecting a normal day of lessons at Robb Elementary School when Ramos launched his attack. He stormed into the classroom just after midday and opened fire using an AR-15 rifle he had bought on his 18th birthday just a few days earlier.
Before going to the school, he shot his grandmother Celia Gonzalez, 66, in the head. She survived and is being treated in a hospital, alongside some of the children who survived the attack.
Yesterday, President Biden and wife Jill visited Robb Elementary, where they viewed floral tributes to the dead and met principal Mandy Gutierrez.
They then attended a Catholic mass in the nearby Sacred Heart church, where protesters gathered outside.
Andreas Ramos, 37, travelled 90 miles to demonstrate against US gun laws.
He said: “I can’t believe we’re here again.”
Police were criticised for not entering the classroom for more than 40 minutes after Ramos’s rampage began despite frantic 911 calls from trapped children.
The US Justice Department yesterday said it will conduct a Critical Incident Review “to identify lessons learned”.
I know it was too much for you. Your heart couldn’t take it. Your names will not be forgotten LYLIANA GARCIA IN MOVING MESSAGE TO DAD JOE AND MUM IRMA