Family mourns beloved teacher who died of COVID-19

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    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KOAT) — After weeks of fighting, a Las Cruces New Mexico teacher has lost her battle with COVID-19.

Sylvia Garcia died on Nov. 29. The 60-year-old teacher taught within the Las Cruces Public Schools District for many years. Her son, Dominic Garcia said she was a champion for education who took on any fight for her community.

“She was a courageous woman, who stood up for all of their loved ones here in Las Cruces, their students, the parents, the teachers,” said Dominic. “My mother even went all the way, and fought for teachers’ rights with the governor. She sat at the round table.”

Short in stature, but loud in personality, Dominic said his mom was full of life.

“To watch somebody so strong, just be turned into somebody so weak,” he said.

In October, Sylvia began experiencing COVID-related symptoms. Later that month, she was admitted into a hospital. Dominic said she was still making calls from the hospital bed, trying to help students.

“While she’s in the ICU, she was there still fighting for these students to have a better education,” he said.

Dominic last spoke to his mom on Nov. 11. He said she gave him a thumbs up before she was intubated, and after fighting the virus for several weeks, Sylvia died eight days later. Days before, Dominic said he and his siblings spent Thanksgiving standing outside of her hospital room window, just to be by her side in her final days.

“And I don’t think these people realize, the ones who don’t believe it, how hard it is to stand outside of a window and watch someone like your mother alone, with strangers in there,” he said. “I couldn’t be there for her, because of this virus… because of everything that’s going on.”

Dominic knows his mom’s legacy is living on through her students. He wants New Mexicans to know that COVID-19 is not a hoax.

“I wouldn’t wish that on anybody to see their loved ones like that, I wouldn’t wish it on anybody, no one should have to witness that,” he said.

Sunday the Las Cruces Public Schools District released a statement about Sylvia’s death
saying she was a “beloved, veteran educator with deep roots in this district. Our school family is doing all we can to support her children in this extremely difficult time.”

The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help with funeral expenses: gofundme.com/f/pdexqw-sylvia-garcia.

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