The family of a widower whose wife was shot in the Texas school shooting says he died of a “broken heart”.
Joe Garcia, 43, was pronounced dead on Thursday, just hours after visiting the memorial in Uvalde where his wife Irma was murdered two days earlier.
During the preparations for the funeral, Mr. Garcia collapsed and died.
Although the exact circumstances are not yet known, Ms Garcia’s cousin Debra Austin said: “I truly believe that Joe died of a broken heart and the loss of the love of his life of more than 25 years was too much to bear. “
Broken heart syndrome is a real phenomenon.
The condition occurs when the body becomes deluged with stress hormones like adrenaline and norepinephrine, according to Helen Wilson, head of research at the charity Heart Research UK.
Excess adrenaline can weaken the heart muscle and thin the arteries, significantly reducing its ability to pump blood around the body.
When the body doesn’t have enough blood, vital organs can shut down.
Broken heart syndrome, medically known as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, affects up to 3,000 Britons and 11,000 Americans each year. Grief, divorce and even bankruptcy can be triggers.
But it’s not usually fatal, and most patients recover within weeks. It is estimated that only one percent die from the disease.
Joe Garcia (right), who was married to fourth grade teacher Irma Garcia (left), died Thursday of a broken heart, his family claims
Broken heart syndrome, known medically as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, affects approximately 3,000 Britons and 11,000 Americans each year. It causes part of the heart to enlarge to resemble a “Japanese octopus trap”.
WHAT IS BROKEN HEART SYNDROME?
Broken heart syndrome, known medically as stress-induced cardiomyopathy or Takotsubo syndrome, occurs when the heart fails due to extreme stress.
It is usually triggered by an emotional event such as the death of a loved one.
The condition affects around 3,000 people in the UK and 11,000 in the US each year and is more common in women than men.
It causes part of the heart to temporarily enlarge, preventing the organ from pumping blood properly. It can cause it to stop altogether.
Although broken heart syndrome isn’t caused by a disease — it’s not linked to clogged arteries or high blood pressure — it’s believed to be capable of causing long-lasting damage by weakening the heart and impairing its pumping action.
Cardiomyopathy UK spokesperson Dr. Daniel Hammersley, said: “Patients who develop this condition generally experience symptoms of chest pain or breathlessness.
“Fortunately, heart muscle function recovers within a few weeks in the vast majority of cases. Overall, it is a rare disease. It most commonly affects people in their 50s or 60s, although it has also been observed in other age groups.’
Sources: Cardiomyopathy UK and the American Heart Association
Professor Sian Harding, an expert in cardiac pharmacology at Imperial College London, told MailOnline that the adrenaline rush from emotional shock is “known” as part of broken heart syndrome.
“Sadness is often a trigger, but the extremely shocking and tragic circumstances here would have amplified the impact,” she said.
The symptoms of takotsubo can feel similar to a heart attack, causing sudden and intense chest pain, shortness of breath, and palpitations.
But the rare condition isn’t caused by clogged arteries — as is the case with heart attacks in general.
Instead, the adrenaline rush closes the lower part of the left ventricle, its main pumping chamber.
Unable to contract, the floor of the ventricle bulges outward.
This distinctive form is visible on X-rays of the heart and is key to diagnosing the syndrome.
This prompted Japanese researchers in 1990 to name it after a “takotsubo” – a traditional narrow-necked, wide-bottomed pot used to catch squid while fishing.
Mr Garcia, who was also a teacher, was filmed attending a red rose memorial to his late wife two days after her death, just hours before his own.
At one point, Mr Garcia was seen crying as he was overwhelmed by the week’s horrific events.
John Martinez, Ms Garcia’s nephew, said Mr Garcia died of “grief” after returning home after delivering flowers to a memorial to his late wife.
But he also told the New York Times that his uncle died of a heart attack.
A GoFundMe page set up to help her four orphans – Cristian, 23; Jose, 19; Lylia, 16; and Alysandra, 12 – has raised more than $1.7million (£1.35million) so far.
Broken Heart Syndrome is difficult to diagnose and is often mistaken for a heart attack.
Blood tests and scans are usually needed to confirm this. It is usually temporary and most patients recover within a few weeks.
Helen Ross, from Canterbury in Kent, almost died of a broken heart in 2006 after finding out her partner of seven was leaving her for a friend.
Just days after the split, the model collapsed on the first day of shooting while on a work trip to Orlando, Florida.
The photo shoot staff called an ambulance and she was taken to the hospital, where she woke up 30 minutes later.
Doctors informed her that her heart had stopped beating twice and were stunned by her case as she was a healthy young woman.
They asked if she had recently experienced trauma that might have triggered the heart problem, and when she explained the breakup, they diagnosed her with 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 nodded and immediately said it was their fault.
She added, “I was devastated by the breakup, but little did I know it actually broke my heart.”
Back in the UK, Ms Ross was fitted with a pacemaker to regulate her heart, which she had removed in 2014 after no further complications.
The condition can also be treated with medications, such as beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors, to relieve stress on the heart and allow it to work more effectively.
Blood thinners may also be prescribed to reduce the risk of blood clots forming, which can cause a stroke.
Broken heart syndrome is usually transient and most patients recover within a few weeks.
Another British woman has been struck twice by the disease.
Sarah Woodward, a veterinary assistant, suffered sharp chest pains at work in 2018 after receiving a call telling her her best friend’s father had died.
Ms Woodward, from Worthing, West Sussex, said: “I’ve known him for 45 years. It was like losing my own father.”
Her chest pains spread down her back, jaw and left arm, and she was having trouble breathing — all classic signs of a heart attack.
But after she was taken to the hospital in an ambulance, tests confirmed she did indeed suffer from broken heart syndrome.
She was prescribed ACE inhibitors, beta blockers and blood thinners.
However, she became one of 10 patients who suffered from a recurrence of broken heart syndrome.
About three years after her first episode, she felt the same sharp pain in her chest after receiving disturbing news about an unrelated illness.
She now suffers from persistent chest pain and shortness of breath and lives in fear of another seizure.