Eulalio "Lalo" Diaz Jr. revealed that Irma Garcia was his highschool classmate.
REUTERS/Brad Brooks
The Texas coroner who responded to the bloodbath in Uvalde has revealed that Irma Garcia, one of many two academics slaughtered together with 19 youngsters, had been his longtime highschool classmate.
Eulalio “Lalo” Diaz Jr., the city’s justice of the peace and de facto coroner, rushed to Robb Elementary College on Might 24 after 18-year-old Salvador Ramos carried out the mindless rampage.
“I walked round to the desk, and I noticed footage of her household and her behind [the desk],” Diaz informed The US Solar.
“I got here again and realized that was Irma,” he mentioned, including that he had been a yr forward of Garcia in highschool.
Garcia’s husband of 24 years, Joe Garcia, later suffered a deadly coronary heart assault after he went to put flowers at his spouse’s memorial. The household mentioned it was introduced on by the grief of his loss.
PICTURED: TEACHER IRMA GARCIA FROM Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas
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“I knew each of them, I had labored with Joe beforehand. Nice individuals, and I simply instantly knew [Irma] was one of many victims,” the coroner informed the information outlet.
Diaz mentioned he additionally knew one of many murdered youngsters, 10-year-old Alexandria Aniyah Rubio, the daughter of Uvalde Sheriff’s Deputy Felix Rubio.
In a earlier interview with The US Solar, Diaz described the painstaking means of figuring out the tiny our bodies.
“I didn’t know what the scene was gonna be like however I knew the youngsters wouldn’t have IDs or identify badges so we received’t know who these youngsters are till we assess the method of what to do,” he mentioned.
“I do know a lot of the mother and father, grandparents, cousins, I’m like, ‘Oh God, I can’t imagine that is taking place,’” Diaz mentioned. “You begin placing two and two collectively and realizing whose little one they're, and it simply hits actual near dwelling.”
The distraught mentioned that he has sought counseling to deal with the tragedy.
“Simply ensuring that I’m OK as a result of I want to deal with it. You at all times hear of troopers coming again with PTSD since you see issues that aren't regular to see,” he mentioned.
“And this was not regular to see, so it’s gonna take time. There’s gonna be issues which are gonna be in my head concerning the scene that's gonna be arduous for me to overlook, however I hope to overlook at some point,” he added.
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