Celebrity Justice
Andy Garcia -- Taylor Saved My Niece!

Andy Garcia is hailing NFL star Sean Taylor as a "hero" who lost his life trying to protect Andy's niece Jackie, who was Taylor's girlfriend and the mother of their baby. Yes-- that Andy Garcia.
Andy Garcia/Sean Taylor
Garcia tells the Miami Herald that Taylor's "heroic action" saved Jackie and daughter, also named Jackie, and called the incident "a testament to his humanity and courage." Taylor was shot when he grabbed a machete to confront an intruder, while Jackie Garcia reportedly hid in the bedroom with the 18-month-old baby. Until now, Andy and his family had not given any public comment on the killing.

"We will always remember him as a caring and loving individual, especially to his new family," says Andy. The couple met at Gulliver Prep School in Miami-Dade county.



Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports

Reader Comments

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16. Andy, so sorry about your family's loss, Sean is in my prayers

Posted at 2:00PM on Nov 29th 2007 by Eli

17. The City of Miami has lost one of its own, a great athlete, a great son, partner and father. This is los for us who've seen his grow from his Gulliver Prep days to his UM days to the rockstar he was within the Redskins organization.

We are no longer back or white, Redskin or rival. We are a human race united in the pain of our loss. Much love and blessings to the Taylor & Garcia families, especially Jackie and baby Jackie.

RIP Sean. You were a phenomenal man here on earth, and I know God is enjoying having you rep the 'Skins up in Heaven.

Posted at 2:01PM on Nov 29th 2007 by love the U!

18. its not a racial thing seans friend and teammate should make a retraction on television for stooping so low in the spot light as too say what he did about the paramedics sean was a good man not much too say about his so called friend mr spotlight god bless you sean

Posted at 2:13PM on Nov 29th 2007 by deans38

19. Um, who has a machete laying around? We have one, out in the garage , up on the wall with the other yard stuff. Not too safe to have it handy with a toddler in the house.

Posted at 4:14PM on Nov 29th 2007 by ohiopeach

20. My son die, the same way saving his brother life that went into shock, and the 3 cowards friends that got out of the window.

My baby is my hero, he kick ass until he slip on a coat and that when the coward got a chance to shoot him.

It was my son time to die, but let me say this when God leave a witness to tell the story you know that loveone is gone to Heaven.

Read the Bible and then ask yourself who wrote the stories? And then give the Lord Our God All The Glory.

Posted at 7:20PM on Nov 29th 2007 by love and peace

21. So sorry Love and Peace, my prayers go to you and Seans family.

Posted at 7:43PM on Nov 29th 2007 by Kelli

22. Thank you #21,

I pray everynight that we can come together and stop the killing(s).

My heart goes out to everyone that have to deal with losing a loveone and to all that lost a loveone in the war on both side. Please understand that God hear our cries and he feel our tears. Don't stop believing in God and Jesus, just keep praying for strength and more stength, because God knows our pain. And never, never forget to forgive the killer(s). When you forgive then you start heeling, but your wound will never get fully heel. But you will start feeling well again.

May God get us through this tough time of the year.

Posted at 8:22PM on Nov 29th 2007 by love and peace

23. Very sad. My thoughts and prayers to the family and friends. Tragic.

Posted at 2:26AM on Nov 30th 2007 by Laura

24. Andy Garcia's niece and Sean Taylor??!!?? Hmmm.

Posted at 8:32AM on Nov 30th 2007 by Becky

25. Sean did NOT have a handgun because he was on probation... I'm guessing the person who killed him knew this and that Sean was, subsequently, an unarmed sitting duck in his own bedroom!!

Posted at 11:18AM on Nov 30th 2007 by Ashburn

26. Has anyone considered the possibility that Sean Taylor's baby's mama might be behind the whole thing? After all, every single piece of info we have learned about this night has come directly from her (via her lawyer). Yet she never saw anyone?

Posted at 11:34AM on Nov 30th 2007 by Steely

27. #13 Steve
You are so correct. I being from the Caribbean know that people in that region use machetes because guns are not widely available, so a machete is an effective weapon when defending yourself. When I heard Sean had a machete I was dumbfounded. America is the land of guns, a knife can NEVER match the speed of a bullet.

This makes me wonder if this guy was just a soft-hearted, naieve person with a body that belied his naievte about violence. His former lawyer, Sharpstein, said on CNN that the gun charge that he was brought up on a year or so ago was proven to be wrong. Someone else in the group had a gun, not Taylor. I know his father is a Police Chief in Florida, I'm thinking maybe this kid never viewed guns as lightly as some do,so, having one in his home was not a casual choice he'd make.

Posted at 3:55PM on Dec 1st 2007 by anonymous

28. Jackie Garcia had nothing to do with his murder. They were very happy, things were good. Look again at the guys pictures. Just more bad ass dudes screwing up and destroying people's lives.

Posted at 9:52PM on Dec 1st 2007 by Sarah

29. Did I blink while Black and Cuban relations actually normalized in South Florida? It doesn't seem so long ago these two communities were very polarized, yet these two (Sean and Jackie) managed to work through all that. A boy and a girl met at school and fell in love... what could be simpler? His death is a tragic loss, and I feel for his family members. May his daughter grow up to be healthy, loved and protected. R.I.P., Sean Taylor. It is appalling to lose your life at 24 years old.

Posted at 10:08PM on Dec 1st 2007 by Carolyn (Abernathy)

30. Sean had a machete, because when he caught a case for having a gun when some people tried to rip off his ATV; one of the conditions of his probation, is for him not to have a gun in his possession. We in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area will support the Redskins today, as we hope that they will win the game between the Bills in honor of Sean.

Sean, you will never be forgotten. My continued thoughts and prayers are with the Taylor, and Garcia families.

It is good news that the murderers are caught. Now, it looks like they will be "dropping soap", and being somebody's "girl" for a long time to come; until they get the death penalty.

Like the good book says, "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." - Deuteronomy 19:21

RIP Sean! We love and miss you...#21 - Redskin for Life

Posted at 10:53AM on Dec 2nd 2007 by SkinzFanRIPSean

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