SAN BERNARDINO >> The 8-year-old boy killed in a school shooting along with his teacher, is being remembered as always smiling and jovial.

“Jonathan Martinez was a happy child born with Williams syndrome,” said San Bernardino City Unified School District Superintendent Dale Marsden on Tuesday during a news conference. The family, which is from Mexico, officials confirmed, did not want to speak to the media and instead had Marsden speak for them. “He was a joy.”

• Photos: Community mourns victims of San Bernardino school shooting

However, a few family members shared their memories and pictures of the young boy on social media.

Dressed as his favorite character from the Mexican television show, “El Chavo del Ocho,” a family member who would only identify herself as Lexi on Twitter, posted “Rip little angel, you didn’t deserve this. You’re reuniting with ur (sic) grandpa now … hearing this on the news I had no idea it would be you.”

Jonathan was killed Monday in the shooting at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. His teacher Karen Elaine Smith, 53, was also shot and killed. Smith’s estranged husband Cedric Anderson, 53, of Riverside, later turned the gun on himself. Another student, a 9-year-old boy, remains hospitalized in stable condition.

The heart surgeries the young boy endured the first few years of his life because of the Williams syndrome diagnosis were also referenced.

“His life was a miracle,” she posted. “He almost had his life taken by health issues but only for a few (years) later it to be taken by some idiot.”

Another family member set up a GoFundMe account to help the family with funeral costs.

“I’m trying to help my cousins raise money for funeral expenses & meals to help provide for her family in this time of need,” wrote Brianna Lopez, Martinez’s cousin. “My whole family would greatly appreciate any forth coming donations, the love and support in this time of need.”

The donations the fund has received grew exponentially on Tuesday, raising tens of thousands of dollars by the evening.

“We honestly can’t thank everyone enough,” Lopez posted Tuesday. “We appreciate everyone’s sweet words, and we are very speechless. Thank you (for) coming together. We will keep everyone updated on any further news. My family truly truly appreciates everything from the bottom of our hearts.”