The two teachers did not leave their young students until the last moment in the bloody massacre inside the school committed by an 18-year-old man in Uvalde, Texas.
Two grade 4 teachers-Irma, Garcia and Eva Mireles, and 19 young students were killed when suspect Salvador Ramos entered and fired shots at Robb Elementary school.
After the gruesome crime, authorities informed the relatives of Garcia and Mireles that the two teachers who were protecting their respective students had passed away.
The students were aged nine and 10. The responding authorities also killed Ramos.
After Garcia had been teaching Robb for 23 years, it turned out that he had four children. Relatives described him as a “sweet, kind, loving” teacher.
Garcia considers her students as family members.
She passed away, protecting the children from the culprit.
“She passed away with children in her arms trying to protect them,” relative John Martinez said on Twitter. “Those weren’t just her students they were her kids as well.”
Mireles’ son offered a tribute to his mother. The school year would have ended in a few days.
2 teachers in Texas massacre die protecting their students
“I don’t know how to do this life without you, but I will take care of dad. I will take care of our dogs and I will forever say your name so you are always remembered, Eva Mireles, 4th grade teacher at Robb Elementary who selflessly jumped in front of her students to save their lives,” Adalynn Ruiz said in a Facebook post.
Garcia, 46, was named “teacher of the year” at the school. In 2019, she was one of 19 San Antonio-area educators finalists for Trinity University’s prize for excellence in teaching.
It was found out that Mireles is the wife of police officer Ruben Ruiz, assigned to the school district’s police force, who is investigating the massacre.
The school year would have ended just two days when the Texas massacre. As a result, the school district has canceled the class for the remainder of the school year. They also developed grief counseling for survivors.
Before shooting at the school, Ramos first shot his grandmother, who survived the bullet wound to the face.
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