Wife of man killed in Illinois mass shooting received devastating last message from her love

A devastated wife shared the story of how she lost her husband in the Aurora mass shooting last week Friday.

Terra Pinkard became a widow thanks to a gunman who opened fire at the Henry Pratt Co. factory in Illinois on February 15.

Terra's husband was named Josh. He was 37 and the father of their children. Before he left them, Josh sent a heartwrenching message to his wife.

On her Facebook page, Terra wrote:

"Friday afternoon, the day after Valentine’s Day, was a literal nightmare. I received a text at 1:24 from my precious husband that said I love you, I’ve been shot at work."

Terra then said that she had to read the text several times for her to realize what was happening. She tried to call back, to text, and to Facetime her husband but to no avail.

Josh, who had been working with the company for 13 years, was the plant manager. Terra said she left her home with her two children in search of her husband.

"I drove to the nearest hospital. He wasn’t there. I drove to the second nearest hospital. Not there. While waiting there on news, chaplains, my pastor, neighbors, his coworkers came to sit with me and hold my hand. I waited for hours."

Eventually, the Aurora police department held a conference with victims' families. There, Terra heard her husband's name being read out. He was a fatality to the horrible event.

Then, she had to do one of the most horrible things one could imagine.

"With my pastor's help, since family was still on planes to get to us, I told my children their dad did not make it and is in heaven with Jesus. I’ve never had to do something that hard."

Now, everything reminds the widow of her loss. She has not yet been able to speak to the media about it. Yet she described Josh in the touching post.

She said:

"He was brilliant! The smartest person I’ve ever met! My best friend! The man I would have leaned on during devastation like this who would tell me it’s ok Terra, it is all going to be fine. The man who was dying and found the clarity of mind for just a second to send me one last text to let me know he would always love me."

Terra, who cried as she was writing the post, asked for more prayers. So far, she has been showered with love and comfort. She asked for prayer to Josh's mom, who just lost her second child.

She also asked for prayers for Josh's twin sister, and for her own children, who "are struggling because they miss a daddy who loved them so much."

Terra set up a GoFundMe page which has already reached over $11,000. It will help cover funeral costs for her deceased husband. Our hearts and prayers go out to her.

Sadly, Josh was joined by four other persons who were killed on Friday. It was Trevor Wehner's first day as a human resource internet at the plant. He would have graduated from Northern Illinois University in May.

Clayton Parks worked as the human resources manager at the factory. He recently joined in November 2019. His wife, Abby Parks, also expressed her grief on Facebook saying she's "living [her] worst nightmare."

Russell Beyer was at the company for over 20 years. He was the union chairman and the mold operator. Vicente Juarez worked as the stockroom attendant and forklift operator. He was with the factory for 12 years.

Gary Martin, 45, was allegedly the person who opened fire on Friday. He began shooting immediately after termination. He shot three victims in an office and two just outside.

He then ran into a warehouse nearby. That's where police confronted him. Some officers were injured but not critically, while Martin died in the shootout.