The family of a widow whose wife was shot dead in a Texas school massacre claims she died of a “broken heart”.
Joe Garcia, 43, was pronounced dead on Thursday, hours after visiting the Uvalde memorial site where his wife Irma was killed two days ago.
While preparing for the funeral, Mr. Garcia fainted and died.
Although the exact circumstances have not yet been disclosed, Ms. Garcia’s cousin, Debra Austin, said: “I believe it was too much for Joe to stand that he died of a broken heart and lost the love of his life in 25 years.”
Broken heart syndrome is a real phenomenon.
According to Helen Wilson, head of research at the Heart Research UK charity, this occurs when the body is flooded with stress hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline.
Excess adrenaline can weaken the heart muscle and thin the arteries, significantly reducing its ability to pump blood throughout the body.
Vital organs can shut down when there is not enough blood in the body.
Broken heart syndrome, known medically as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, affects 3,000 British and 11,000 Americans each year. Grief, divorce, and even bankruptcy can be triggers.
However, it is not usually fatal and most patients recover within a few weeks. It is estimated that only one percent die from the condition.
His family says Joe Garcia (right), who was married to teacher Irma Garcia (left), died Thursday of a broken heart.

Broken heart syndrome, known medically as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, affects around 3,000 British and 11,000 Americans each year. Enlarges part of the heart and makes it look like a “Japanese octopus trap”
WHAT IS BROKEN HEART SYNDROME?
Broken heart syndrome, medically known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy or takotsubo syndrome, occurs when the heart breaks due to excessive stress.
It is usually triggered by an emotional event, such as the death of a loved one.
The condition affects around 3,000 people a year in the UK and 11,000 in the US and is more common in women than men.
It causes a part of the heart to enlarge temporarily so the organ cannot pump blood properly. It can make it stop completely.
Although broken heart syndrome is not caused by a disease, it is not linked to clogged arteries or high blood pressure, it is believed to cause long-term damage by weakening the heart and affecting its pumping action.
Cardiomyopathy UK spokesperson Dr. Daniel Hammersley said: “Patients who develop this condition often experience symptoms of chest pain or shortness of breath.
“Fortunately, in the vast majority of cases, heart muscle function improves within a few weeks. It’s generally a rare condition. It usually affects people between the ages of 50 and 60, although it has also been found in other age groups,” he said.
resources: Cardiomyopathy United Kingdom and american heart association
Professor Sian Harding, a cardiac pharmacologist at Imperial College London, told MailOnline that the adrenaline rush from emotional shock is “known” as part of broken heart syndrome.
“Red is often a trigger, but the extremely shocking and tragic circumstances here could have strengthened the effect,” he said.
The symptoms of Takotsubo can resemble a heart attack, with sudden and severe chest pain, shortness of breath, and palpitations.
But the rare condition is not usually caused by clogged arteries, as with heart attacks.
Instead, the adrenaline rush shuts off the lower part of the left ventricle, which is its main pumping chamber.
The lower part of the non-contractile ventricle swells.
This characteristic shape can be seen on X-rays of the heart and is critical in diagnosing the syndrome.
So, in 1990, Japanese researchers named it in honor of the “takotsubo”, a traditional narrow-necked, wide-bottomed boat used to catch octopuses while fishing.
Mr. Garcia, who is also a teacher, was photographed visiting a memorial to his deceased wife filled with red roses, just hours before his own death, two days after his death.
At one point, Mr. Garcia was seen crying, overwhelmed by the horrific events of the week.
Ms. Garcia’s nephew, John Martinez, said Mr. Garcia died of “grief” after returning home after delivering flowers to a memorial for his deceased wife.
But he also told the New York Times that his uncle had died of a heart attack.
A GoFundMe page set up to help four orphans – Cristian, 23; Jose, 19 years old; Liliana, 16; and Alysandra, 12, has raised more than $1.7m (£1.35m) to date.
Broken heart syndrome is difficult to diagnose and is often confused with a heart attack.
Blood tests and scans are usually needed to confirm this. Usually aIt is temporary and most patients recover within a few weeks.
Helen Ross of Canterbury, Kent nearly died of a broken heart in 2006 after learning that her partner of seven years had left her for a friend.
A few days after the breakup, the model fainted on the first day of filming while on a business trip to Orlando, Florida.
The photo shoot crew called an ambulance and he was taken to the hospital and woke up 30 minutes later.
Doctors told her that her heart had stopped beating twice, and they were surprised that she was a healthy young woman.
They were asked if she had recently suffered a trauma that could have caused her heart problem, and when she described the rupture, they determined she had broken heart syndrome.
Ms Ross said at the time, “I told them how hard the breakup was for me, how devastated I was, and they shook their heads and immediately said it was a crime.
“I was sad about the breakup but didn’t realize it broke my heart,” she added.
When she returned to England, Ms Ross was given a pacemaker to regulate her heart and had it removed without further complications in 2014.
This condition can also be treated with medications such as beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors to ease the burden on the heart and make it work more effectively.
Anticoagulants may also be prescribed to reduce the risk of developing clots that can cause stroke.


Broken heart syndrome is usually temporary and most patients recover within a few weeks.
Another British woman was affected twice by this situation.
Veterinary assistant Sarah Woodward experienced excruciating pain in her chest while at work in 2018 after receiving a phone call saying her best friend’s father had died.
Mrs Woodward, from Worthing, West Sussex, said: “I have known her for 45 years. It was like losing my father.’
The pain in his chest extended to his back, jaw, and left arm, and he was having trouble breathing, all of which were classic signs of a heart attack.
But after he was taken to the hospital by ambulance, tests confirmed that he did indeed suffer from broken heart syndrome.
ACE inhibitors, beta blockers and anticoagulants were prescribed.
However, there was only one in 10 patients with a recurrence of broken heart syndrome.
About three years after his first episode, he felt the same stabbing pain in his chest. after receiving disturbing news about an unrelated medical condition.
He now suffers from persistent chest pain and shortness of breath and lives in fear of another attack.
Source: Daily Mail

I am Anne Johnson and I work as an author at the Fashion Vibes. My main area of expertise is beauty related news, but I also have experience in covering other types of stories like entertainment, lifestyle, and health topics. With my years of experience in writing for various publications, I have built strong relationships with many industry insiders. My passion for journalism has enabled me to stay on top of the latest trends and changes in the world of beauty.