DENVER — An East High School student spent the week in the hospital after being shot near the school on Monday.
Luis Garcia is described as a passionate soccer player, who always worked hard and made others laugh.
“Sometimes he invites me to train with him, sometimes he wakes up at 5 a.m.,” said Luis' older brother, Santos Garcia. “Even if it was snowing, we would go out and train and he was always, you know, by my side and he was always there.”
Santos said Luis is the youngest of three siblings, at only 16 years old. He spoke with us from Denver Health, where his brother Luis has been since Monday.
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“Monday, I got ready for work, maybe around 6:30 [in the morning]. And for some reason, he [Luis] was awake at that time," said Santos. “He was telling me about what he wanted to do that day because we were going to celebrate a cousin's birthday."
Instead of the celebration, Santos received a terrifying phone call later that day.
“I was driving to the hospital and I looked at my phone and saw that his best friend had said that he got shot and he was dead," Santos said. “Being his older sibling, I feel like I had to be there for him. And when I got that call, it was just, I felt like it wasn't there.”
Luis survived the shooting, which Denver police did not have any updates about on Thursday. Police said they arrested two suspects after a car chase on Monday.
Santos said his brother was not targeted specifically by the shooters, and that this week has been a nightmare for the entire family.
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“A funny guy. He always makes everyone laugh, doesn't matter how you look or where you come from. He's always supportive," said Santos, describing Luis.
A GoFundMe has been started to support the family during this time, and raised more than $100,000 so far. However, the family will need around three times that to cover the hospital expenses.
“We can't really afford a bunch of the medical bills," said Santos. “Whatever people can help us with makes a difference. I'm just trying to do as much as I can, so once my brother gets better he can have a better life.”
To donate to the Garcia family, click here.
