Harrowing moment slain Texas school teacher Irma Garcia’s husband laid flowers for her hours before fatal heart attack

THE devastated husband of a teacher killed in this week's Texas school shooting was seen laying flowers for his wife just hours before his shocking death.

Joe Garcia - the husband of slain fourth-grade teacher Irma Garcia -passed away from a heart attack two days after his wife was killed.

The 50-year-old dad of four died in the wake of suspected gunman Salvador Ramos' shooting massacre at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, which left 19 children and two teachers dead.

In the hours leading up to Joe's death, the heartbroken dad was seen walking to the memorial site set up for the shooting victims and his beloved wife Irma.

A video clip shared on Twitter by KHOU-TV reveals the harrowing moment Joe delivered flowers to his wife's memorial.

Joe is seen in the footage walking slowly with his head down low and holding a bouquet of red roses in a glass vase.

The flowers were put down at a cross with the name of his wife, Irma - his high school sweetheart and mother of his four children.

"What happened was my Uncle Joe went to go leave flowers for my Tia [Aunt] Irma, his wife, [at the school memorial site] and whenever he got back, he sat down at the kitchen table with his entire family, and after 3 minutes, he just fell over," Joe's nephew John Martinez told the Detroit Free Press in a phone interview.

"I'm told my mom was giving him chest compressions. It happened around 10 o'clock. I know my little brother was there."

After getting an update from his family member, John explained: "They called the ambulance and I was told they couldn't bring him back."

"They took him to Uvalde Memorial Hospital," he added. "I'm not sure if they confirmed his death at the house or the hospital."

Shortly after 1pm on Thursday, John took to Twitter to confirm his uncle had passed away, according to the Free Press.

He wrote: "My Tia Irma’s husband Joe Garcia has passed away due to grief, i truly am at a loss for words for how we are all feeling, PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR FAMILY, God have mercy on us, this isn’t easy."

John told the news outlet: "My Tio [Uncle] Joe would work extra hours just to provide for his family.

"They really are a true American family. They instilled great values and morals in their kids."

In a GoFundMe shared online by the duos family, cousin Debra Garcia Austin wrote that Joe passed away on Thursday morning “as a result of a medical emergency.”

“I truly believe Joe died of a broken heart and losing the love of his life of more than 30 years was too much to bear,” Debra wrote.

Joe's nephew John said the couple - who were married for 24 years - leaves behind four children, ages 23, 19, and 15, and the youngest, 13.

"No child should have to go through this, my heart breaks for them," the nephew wrote.

Teachers Irma and Eva Mireles were among 21 people killed during Tuesday's massacre after the suspected gunman barricaded himself inside their fourth-grade classroom and opened fire.

Nineteen students perished in the shooting at Robb Elementary. An additional 17 were injured.

'PUT HER LIFE ON THE LINE'

When the authorities went inside the classroom moments after the shooting, John said they had “found her body there, embracing children in her arms pretty much until her last breath.”

"She had treated her students as if they were her own children, John Martinez, 21, told the New York Times.

The 21-year-old said it had been easy for loved ones to possibly “picture her putting her life on the line.”

Irma was “like a second mom” to her nephews and students, he continued. “She brings a joy and a light to the room.”