Guillermo Garcia was spending his Saturday morning outside Walmart helping to raise money for his daughter’s soccer team when an unimaginable tragedy occurred.
A gunman opened fire on Aug, 3 2019 and shot people at random resulting in the deadliest attack on Latinos in modern American history.
Patrick Crusius shot and killed 23 people and injured 23 others. Guillermo was left fighting for his life in hospital but tragically passed away – nine months after the attack.
The soccer coach and dad of two was the last remaining hospital patient following the attack.
Chief executive officer for Del Sol Medical Center David Shrimp said: “After a nearly nine-month fight, our hearts are heavy as we report Guillermo “Memo” Garcia, our last remaining patient being treated from the El Paso shooting, has passed away.”
His wife, Jessica Coca Garcia, who survived the attack after being shot in the leg, said they had “lost a warrior but gained an angel”.
“He fought long and hard, with the help of all his troops he won many battles but lost the war. I would like to thank the community for all the love, support, and prayers,” she said, according to ABC 7 News.
“On behalf of the Garcia family we would like to give the community the opportunity to pay their respects but due to the current circumstances we feel that right now is not the right time.
“When the pandemic and social distancing orders pass we will have a proper memorial and mass where the community can pay their respects to an El Paso warrior!”
Walmart, which is being sued by a number of victims, including the Garcia family, over a lack of security on the busy shopping day when around 3,000 people were in the store, has added armed and unarmed officers to all of its stores.
A vigil for Guillermo is set to be held at the store parking lot where everyone attending is being asked to stay in their vehicle and turn on their headlights ” instead of candles”.
So many innocent lives lost in this senseless tragedy. Sending love and strength to the families affected.
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