The Duchess of Sussex traveled to Uvalde, Texas less than a month ago. She arrived in Uvalde two days after the massacre of children and teachers at Robb Elementary School. She paid her respects at the memorial, then dropped off several crates of food at the blood donation center. We also learned that Meghan sent a considerate note, coffee, donuts, bagels and more to the staff of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Now this: Meghan has called at least one family affected by the Uvalde massacre, and the family has told local media how much Meghan’s call meant to them. Meghan is not forgetting this tragedy.
People are calling out the Duchess of Sussex for going out of her way to check in on the victim’s family after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde. The nephew of Irma Garcia, one of the teachers killed alongside 19 children and another teacher during the massacre last month, shared the news of the phone call his mother received from Meghan Markle
“The way my mom just got off the phone with Meghan Markle… the Duchess, she’s so sweet and lovely, she really went out of her way to check on the family, it means so much.”
Garcia’s husband, Joe Garcia, also passed away just two days after his wife’s murder “due to grief,” his family said. The two had been married for 24 years and had four children.
Without any fan fare, Markle made an unannounced visit to Uvalde just two days after the horrific event to pay her respects to the victims. Wearing jeans, a t-shirt and a blue baseball cap, Markle reached down with her head bowed and placed flowers at a makeshift memorial outside the courthouse.
The story of Irma and Joe Garcia is heart-wrenching. Irma was murdered in her classroom by the 18-year-old shooter and two days later, Joe passed away from grief. They were high school sweethearts. They were buried together. So Meghan called Irma Garcia’s nephew, just to check in with him and the family. I would imagine Meghan has made calls to other families as well, and they just haven’t publicized the calls.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red, NYT video screencaps and Getty.
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- ** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA – Meghan Markle visits the mothers2mothers (m2m) charity in Cape Town, South Africa. Pictured: Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 25 SEPTEMBER 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- ** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Meghan Markle The Duchess of Sussex is seen during a visit to the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, part of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), of which she was announced as Patron in January 2019. Pictured: Meghan Markle BACKGRID USA 1 OCTOBER 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- ** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN NETHERLANDS ** Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA – Meghan the Duchess of Sussex visits a gender based violence education club and meets with partner the nature of violence against women and girls and the work they are undertaking to tackle it. Pictured: Meghan Duchess of Sussex BACKGRID USA 1 OCTOBER 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- The Duchess of Sussex launches the Smart Works capsule collection of which her Royal Hiqhness is a patron.
Meghan’s follow up with a family impacted on the Uvalde shooting and murders was lovely and kind. The British media will slag and dragged, but whatever.
yeah, they’ll try to compare it to Kate.
Except…..Kate brought her own photographer + reporter and specifically had the police pause so she could leave before they started arresting and beating the women at Sarah’s memorial. Then made no statement to condemn said abuse. And then Kate claimed it as “work” to avoid the question as to why she was not also arrested like the other women, so not a personal visit to show her condolences after all, just a job she wanted credit but no responsibility for.
Wow! This Katie ,with the help of British institutions, knows how to cover her nefarious tracks. That’s one skill she could put in her cv.
Everything she does is from her heart and with good intentions. Not for photo Ops and then bye forever, I love the way Garcia’s family made it known on Twitter
I’m glad the family came forward with this story. I have no doubt Meghan does this kind of thing regularly and she never publicizes it for her own image, but she is not a one-and-done kind of person. She continues to care.
Losing a child is the Absolute Worst, and I know that Meghan, as a fairly new mother, must feel this grief as deeply and sharply as we do.
I’m sure her miscarriage has given her insight into the sheer grief of losing a child too.
One of my favorite social media defenses of Meghan came from her friend Silver Tree. She was listing all these things Meghan does for her friends, from the cute (like throwing her arm in front of you if she’s driving and has to brake) to the serious (being supportive when a child is seriously ill). and she says something like “this is who she is and has always been, this is who she was before she met H, who she was when she was dating H, when she became the duchess.”
Anyway so that’s what popped into my head when reading this – “this is who she is and has always been.” She’s just a really good person who reaches out to others, and you can tell it means a lot to them bc its so genuine on her part.
When I first read about her going to Uvalde I said, this is not Meghan the duchess, Meghan the actress, etc. This is Meghan the mom, Meghan the person. She loves, she cares. She would have done this no matter where she was in her life, and she is using her duchess power to help. I just love her.
Agreed, Becks.
As a private citizen/public figure, Meghan never needed and doesn’t need to do charity for anything other than it’s own sake. Other than the 18 months she was a senior royal, she’s never been compensated for her good works (and, many of her projects from that time are still bearing fruit for the charities). She did/does/will keep doing it because it’s what brings her joy and fulfillment.
Oh, there goes my temperature rising thinking about how the royal machine treated her because of how effective she was as a working royal.
Those people that throw their arms out when they have to brake suddenly. Those people are special.
It is such an automatic response (learned from my parents who always did it to us); I even do it for my purse or a grocery bag if it’s on the passenger seat lol
Last time I was driving with my 23 yr old nephew he said, “Auntie Jan, I’m wearing a seat belt! You don’t need to do it!” lol. I just can’t help but do it!
The british media being cynical is a given and as Meghan has said “criticism and flattery go down the same drain and I am quite free” so that tells us she’ s not letting it get to her. That’s important because imagine how much pain that community must be in?. They are demolishing the school because the memories are so horrific and grief is continuously compounded because they are learning new facts about how the police failed them. People reaching out to the families and saying we care and how are you means something. Meghan and I’m sure many others who are involved are offering solace to a community that is still suffering. The comfort and aid Meghan can give is far more important then the cynical and self serving headlines of a tabloid.
She called the sister of one of the Garcia parents (the nephew’s mom). That’s how attuned she is. She couldn’t call the parent of the slain child because they too were gone, so she checked in on the immediate relative whose family is suffering the repercussions, who might be the ones trying to cope with raising or figuring out what to do with and how to help the surviving children. So tragic. And our government will do nothing but allow the Supreme Court to put more guns on the street. New York’s gun control law struck down yesterday. Brace yourselves.
Almost. She called the sister of the victim (one of the teachers) bc she couldn’t call the children of the slain parents as they’re too far gone.
This is so thoughtful (and keeps the awareness of the people navigating this tragedy front of mind).
The nephew said his mother had just gotten off the phone with Meghan. It seems, from his updates, like his mother is Irma’s sister (though she could also be Joe’s sister).
Lovely.
Lovely gesture.
Kind❤️
I cannot imagine the depth of that family’s suffering. Meghan has long shown her empathy and kindness so it is no surprise she has done this. I’m glad her gesture brought some comfort to the family.
I don’t think Meghan uses Markle anymore, just Meg/Meghan Duchess of Sussex.
Scammatha, tried to get the Judge toss off her case because she was appointed by Obama, and he is friends with the Sussexes, it was denied.
She refilled the lawsuit from 17 to 11 accusations, I think, because Meghan’s lawyer said they’re frivolous claims, like Meghan hanging up the phone on her.
I read about that unsuccessful attempt to remove the judge appointed by then-President Obama. Ironically, they also wrote that Scamantha’s own lawyer represented one of the Jan. 6th defendants or works in a firm that represented one of those yahoos who stormed the US Capitol because Trump lost the election. This person (Scamantha) is so vile and loathsome.
Samantha is a mess.
Wasn’t this frivolous lawsuit tossed out?
If SCOTUS has its way, Meghan will be kept very busy over the years comforting and consoling survivors of gun violence. It’s all so senseless.
This reminds me that some of the British media said if Meghan cared she would talk to the families. I guess now that it’s known she did, Meghan will be called heartless for talking to them after a tragedy.
Good for her! We can’t let this story fade because it is truly disgusting how the teachers and children were murdered while police stood by.🙏🏼 for the victims families.
This was an incredibly kind gesture. This tradgey and the Buffalo Topps Shooting has really rocked me to my core. Especially the Topps shooting. As a Black mom, I take my 5 year old everywhere. Our most frequented trips involve the grocer store. I had to talk to him about correct behavior during an active shooter scenario. His school does active shooting drills. I just used that to help him understand what to do when we are out. To think I have to remind him on outings in how to protect himself is maddening. He’s going to Kindergarten this fall and I’m worried about how protected his school is from active shooters.
@Imara19, this just breaks my heart. I cannot believe that in the US little kids now have to be schooled in how to react to an active shooter situation. I pray that your little one stays safe.
It really is heartbreaking. My son never participated in an active shooter drill once throughout school. He graduated in 2007 and all his drills were earthquake only. It must be terrifying sending a child to school in the States.
Notice how when Meghan contacted Irma Garcia’s family to check up on them her nephew was the one to talk about it whereas when Kate sent a letter to Sarah Everard’s family she and KP made sure to release it to the press (probably without the family’s permission)?
Further, releasing “quotes” from said letter such as how she remembers what it’s like to be a woman in London. It takes a lot to call someone recently bereaved, to offer just the right amount of sympathy and support. Especially when there are no photographers taking stock photos of you talking on the phone (gosh, remember the Keenly zoom years?) Anyone can ask their assistant to send a letter.
OMG, how EVIL of Meghan. *sarcasm font
I really do admire what Meghan is doing because I know that I would not be able to handle the tragic and delicate circumstances those poor families are in. The sheer amount of shock, grief and anger that they have to process…the call is meaningful because it came from her, and remembering what her friends say about her, Meghan gets stuff done. I hope she can not only help the families, but also effect change on a bigger scale in terms of gun control. It was so helpful and touching to hear someone like Matthew McConaughey speak. It really can matter when you use your massive platform for good.
By checking on one of the Uvalde families, Duchess Meghan is going what she has always done. I’m happy she follows her heart, not a PR firm dictate.
It was good of her to check in on that family and they chose to let us know she did. I understand if other families choose not to because of what the Sandy Hook families went through. I think with the attention shifting to investigating law enforcement, a lot of these families will be forgotten in the news cycle, except by conspiracy theorists who harass these families. I hope Meghan is more visible and starts advocating how she truly wants to, because just sick of all the haters saying she only does it for PR.
Nice try but based on your recent posts (“Leave Kate alooone! Won’t somebody think of Kate!”), this sad attempt is woefully transparent. Also, you’d have to hiss and boo at numerous people who are greatly concerned about the victims of gun violence. But nice try though, bud.
In the midst of day to day craziness in the media the gift of kindness toward strangers is very uplifting news. Thank you, Meghan.
I think it is inappropriate to call a stranger under this situation. The donations seem appropriate. If one of my children were murdered by a school shooter, I would not appreciate a celebrity calling me or family members unless they too had lost a child in this senseless way. It’s exceedingly intrusive in my opinion.
That’s your prerogative, should you ever be faced with a tragedy on that scale.
But from the interview with the nephew, Meghan’s gesture was helpful and appreciated.
…and she’s not a celebrity.
It’s been about a month now since this tragedy. Condolences seem to drop off after a few weeks, so a phone call 4 weeks out is certainly appropriate. It demonstrates to the family that even though time has gone by, they are not forgotten. Wonderful that Meghan waited until now to reach out to let them know we will not forget. That she made a donation for gun control legislation is important, putting your money to work.
Meghan is a true humanitarian. She is a wonderful human being. She truly cares about people. I cannot believe the way she was treated by that Evil British RF. The Cambridges have a lot to answer for what they did to her and Harry. What horrible people they are. I hope they get what they deserve.