Mom of Uvalde survivor says her daughter went into cardiac arrest from grief

In yet more heartbreaking news to come out of the mass shooting in Texas, the mother of a Uvalde survivor says her daughter has been hospitalized following a visit to her classmates’ memorial site.

During the massacre at Robb Elementary School, Illiana Treviño, a fellow fourth-grader, lost her best friend Amerie Jo Garza—whom her mom, Jessica, says used to protect her daughter from bullies. While paying a special visit to Amerie’s memorial, Illiana’s heart rate began spiking and she felt ill.

Upon rushing her daughter to the hospital, Jessica says doctors told her that her daughter had been on the verge of having a heart attack.

Related: Girl Scouts honors Uvalde victim Amerie Jo Garza in the most beautiful way

“I think it’s just from a broken heart that we need to work on healing,” Jessica tells People. She also says Illiana had no previously existing medical condition that could have predicted this.

“Everything just broke her in half, and she feels the fear of being bullied again,” she says.

Illiana was able to escape the shooting physically unharmed because the gunman walked past her fourth-grade classroom. Amerie was shot while trying to call 911, tragically. The Girl Scouts of America have since honored her posthumously with their highest award for bravery.

“The hospital told me, ‘Your daughter’s going into cardiac arrest.’ And I said, ‘What?'” Jessica recalls. “Her heart [rate] skyrocketed because she couldn’t take the trauma…all the trauma and pain from it.”

Illiana was transferred to a hospital in San Antonio, where she is currently still hospitalized—she’s no longer in the ICU but she hasn’t been discharged yet. Jessica says doctors told her IIliana is showing signs of post-traumatic stress disorder and acute stress from the trauma she suffered. Her heart is currently under constant monitoring.

“Her body was basically shutting down completely. It couldn’t take it,” Jessica says. “Her body was basically reacting to the shock.”

Related: Meghan Markle makes incognito visit to Uvalde to help—because that’s what moms do

Two days after losing his wife, Irma Garcia—one of the two fourth-grade teachers killed at Robb Elementary—Joe Garcia collapsed while visiting her memorial. Tragically, he was pronounced dead from a heart attack shortly after.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, this type of heart attack is called takotsubo cardiomyopathy, or stress cardiomyopathy. Japanese doctors, who were the first to describe this condition, named it “takotsubo” because during this disorder, the heart takes on a distinctive shape that resembles a Japanese pot used to trap an octopus.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is commonly believed to be caused by sudden emotional stress, such as the death of a child or loved one. While it’s considered less harmful than a typical heart attack caused by blocked arteries, it’s a very real condition. It’s also referred to as “broken-heart syndrome.”

As for Illiana, Jessica says the trauma of the event will stay with her daughter for a long time.

“She is still dealing with some hard issues,” she says. “And it’s a long road to recovery. She will have to be constantly monitored. I’m so worried. I pray daily.”

You can donate to a GoFundMe set up to help with Illiana’s medical care here.

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