Uptown mom’s grief
Body in East River is missing Wash. Heights student, 21
A Washington Heights mom struggling to come to grips with the loss of her 21-yearold son wants some answers from the upstate New York university where he was a student.
John Carlos Garcia-Mendez, a physics student at the University at Albany, was reported missing on May 7. On May 19, police found a body in the East River near Adams St. and John St. near the foot of the Manhattan Bridge.
Days later, his mother, Gloriza Mendez, 55, learned it was her only child, John Carlos.
“I saw him in December, during Christmas,” the grieving mom told the Daily News Monday from her Washington Heights apartment where she was being comforted by family and friends.
“When he was a little boy he used to just stay home and not go out. But now he was happy to go out. He was always interacting with people. We used to cook a lot and we’d make all different kinds of meals and he would like to find different recipes for us to make together. He would do anything for me,” she said.
Mendez hadn’t seen her son since Christmas break, but she spoke to him all the time, she added. The last time they spoke was May 6, when he was at school in Albany. He was last seen that day on Myrtle Ave. in Albany — but police believe he then traveled to the city, according to the Albany Times-Union.
There were no signs of trauma on Garcia-Medez’ body and his death did not appear to be suspicious, police said.
But his mother believes something was wrong, noting that his disposition shifted as his May 19 graduation approached.
“The last time I spoke to him … he was very brief. Just saying ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ I didn’t know if there was a problem, something maybe going on at school with him. Nobody from the school called me to say that he was missing classes,” she said.
Mendez said she called the school looking for more details about her son’s situation, but hit a brick wall.
“They said he’s an adult and they can’t give me any information. …. When they told me they found him it was very, very painful,” Gloriza said, dropping her head into her hands. “I have no answers for what happened or how it happened. He was my only child. I have God helping me right now.”
The university said in a statement that his death “is heartbreaking” and will be felt by the entire community, the Times-Union reported.