A father tragically died after he was shot while wrestling a gun from a robber.
52-year-old Juan Manuel Garcia from Argentina had been working tirelessly at a grocery store so he could throw a birthday party for his daughter with Down Syndrome.
But while working a double shift, an armed robber entered the premises on February 28.
The hero father tried to stop the robber and wrestled the gun from his hand but the thief managed to shot him in the stomach.
Juan Arquiel, his long life friend, told the local news outlet Clarin: “When he found out about his daughter’s condition it hit him hard but since then he has always pushed on and done right by his daughter.”
Garcia, who was known in his neighborhood as ‘El Gallego,’ was extremely close to his 14-year-old daughter Vicky. They spent most of their free time practicing different sports and going to the countryside for weekend trips.
The devastating incident went viral on social media, with Twitter user Gordo Monstruo starting a fundraising campaign for Vicky’s birthday party.
“He was Juan Manuel Garcia, a working-class father who worked 3 jobs to support his family,” he wrote. “His 14-year old daughter Vicky suffers from down syndrome.
“Juan lived for her and was doing everything he possibly could to fulfill her dream of having a 15th birthday party.”
The page has so far raised more than $11,000.
Vicky’s cousin, Eugenia Rolon, tweeted: “Thank you to everyone who has donated from 50 peso to 20,000 peso, every peso will go to Vicky, to fulfil her dream and to buy her whatever she wants. Thank you. #ElSueñoDeVicky (Vicky’s dream) will come true.”
Police have since arrested 24-year-old Elias Alejandro Aguirre as the main suspect for the fatal shooting.
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