Hundreds Of People Came Out To Help A Man Without Any Family Bury His Wife After She Was Killed In The El Paso Incident

Aug 20, 2019

Antonio Basco tragically lost his wife Margie Reckard earlier this month in a horrific mass shooting in El Paso that left her and 21 others dead. When it came time to bury his long-time companion, he expected to be by himself since Margie was his only family. But little did he know that hundreds of kind-hearted people would come out to his wife’s funeral so that he wouldn’t be alone.

In the wake of the shooting, many local funeral homes offered free services for the victims and Perches Funeral Homes was one of them. It was at Basco’s request that Perches put out an open invitation for Margie’s funeral. The response was so overwhelming that the organizers had to move the memorial to a larger venue at La Paz Faith Memorial & Spiritual Center.

Well-wishers had traveled far and wide to join not only Basco but also the larger El Paso community in solidarity. Jordan Ballard had flown all the way from Los Angeles for the sole reason that Basco’s story moved her.

Locals also had Basco’s back. Jason Medina from El Paso was there to support his fellow resident. Although he didn’t know Margie, “I know her now,” he stated to the AP. “We’re all family, bro.”

Antonio Basco arrived at the memorial with Mariachi musicians playing songs in tribute and attendees shouting blessings in English and Spanish. A line had to form that ran outside and wrapped around the building, and Basco was sure to thank every person there for coming. Margie’s children from her first marriage also attended the service, and remembered their mother, who was suffering from Parkinson’s disease, very fondly.

The funeral was the last of the services for victims of the shooting, and for some, it served as a collective healing moment.

"People have been standing here for hours,” Julieta Aduto said to BuzzFeed News. “It just shows there's still good in mankind, that there's still hope in the world."

Condolences go to Antonio and others who lost friends or family members on the day. What do you think about the members of the public who contributed their time and support? Let us know and tell others about the way strangers stepped up for a neighbor.