Family of 91-year-old military veteran hopes to honor final wish of burial next to wife

PHOENIX — The family of a military veteran is trying to honor his final wish -- to be buried next to his wife.

>> Read more trending news

Guadalupe Garcia, 91, of Phoenix, suffered a massive heart attack, and his kidneys have shut down, KNXV reported. While his family is hoping Garcia can overcome his latest medical setbacks, doctors said to expect the worst.

"He was doing really well a week ago, and out of nowhere he was short of breath and had a heart attack," Garcia's granddaughter, Cynthia Rodriguez, told KNXV. "He doesn't have his kidneys anymore. They told us at his age, 91, that he is not going to recover from it."

Relatives are planning Garcia's funeral, but the expense of burying him next to his wife can cost up to $10,000, Rodriguez told the television station. It would cost another $1,500 to dig up the plot next to his wife, Rodriguez said. His headstone is already engraved, according to Findagrave.com.

Isabel Garcia died May 28, 2014, and is buried at St. Francis Cemetery in Phoenix. She was 81 and had been married to her husband for 42 years.

Guadalupe Garcia, a lifelong Phoenix resident, enlisted in the Army in 1946, when he was 18, KNXV reported. He was honorably discharged in 1947 and was awarded an Army of Occupation and World War II Victory medal, the television station reported.

"After he came home, he supported his family, grandkids, (and) he worked two jobs," Rodriguez told KNXV.

Family members created a GoFundMe page for Guadalupe Garcia and have contacted politicians and the Veterans' Affairs.

"He doesn't qualify for a lot of things," Rodriguez told KNXV. "I'm just scared because the doctor said he's not going to get any better, and it could happen any day."

Cox Media Group