# Big Brother 9: Neil Garcia *The real reason:*



## jtlytle (May 17, 2005)

Remember one of gay couple from Big Brother 9 Neil Garcia, left the show few days after the game starts?

I found out the real reason, something else happened at that time - 
One of his relatives, Catalina Garcia was the victim of the Northern Illinois University shooting and Neil had to leave the show to be with the family.


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## Lopey (Feb 12, 2004)

How did you find this out?


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## hefe (Dec 5, 2000)

I read that rumor, but never saw it confirmed.

In fact, one site says (and I don't remember the dates myself) that Neil left the show on Wednesday, Feb 13th. The shooting happened on Thursday the 14th.

http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/...y-loses-houseguest-gains-replacement-6550.php


> The show's live Internet feeds showed Neil in the Big Brother house on Wednesday afternoon, however later that same day (shortly before midnight ET) a lengthy live feed blackout ended with Neil suddenly no longer in the house and Sharon Obermueller -- whom television viewers had just seen evicted during last night's CBS broadcast of the show's initial previously taped eviction -- back in the house in Neil's place.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Illinois_University_shooting


> The Northern Illinois University shooting was an incident that took place on February 14, 2008


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## appleye1 (Jan 26, 2002)

If that were the reason then I don't see why something like that would have been kept so hush hush. Sure he wouldn't have been doing interviews, but there'd be more out there than just rumors.


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## visionary (May 31, 2006)

The whole thing makes no sense unless some sort of criminal activity was uncovered on his part, that would explain why he would not talk about it, nothing else would. I sure would not leave over some relative being killed, it's not like you can do anything. In any case why is he still hiding? It has to be something about him that BB found out.


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## MikeekiM (Jun 25, 2002)

I forget...how did they choose Sharon of all of the evictees to bring back?


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## hefe (Dec 5, 2000)

MikeekiM said:


> I forget...how did they choose Sharon of all of the evictees to bring back?


There were only 2 evictees at the time, if I recall correctly...Sharon and her ex. They let Josh choose which one came back.


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

visionary said:


> The whole thing makes no sense unless some sort of criminal activity was uncovered on his part, that would explain why he would not talk about it, nothing else would. I sure would not leave over some relative being killed, it's not like you can do anything. In any case why is he still hiding? It has to be something about him that BB found out.


Not necessarily - first - if it is true - who knows what the relationship is - let's say it was his Mom - or his sister - he might be devastated... Personally, I don't understand the opposite - when a tragedy happens and the family is on Larry King Live 4 hours later... If it were me, I wouldn't talk about it either.


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## JFriday (Mar 20, 2002)

Was Neil an openly gay man?


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

JFriday said:


> Was Neil an openly gay man?


I sure _thought_ so.


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## marksman (Mar 4, 2002)

It was weird, and why we got no explanation either. Too bad this apparently did not clear it up... as I am still curious.


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## JFriday (Mar 20, 2002)

Cainebj said:


> I sure _thought_ so.


According to the BB website he was. I just thought maybe he wasn't and didn't like being outted.


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## jtlytle (May 17, 2005)

Catalina Garcia was Neil's cousin.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Illinois_University_shooting

Deceased
A total of six people, all residents of Illinois, were killed in the incident:[13][17]

Gayle Dubowski, 20 - Carol Stream 
*Catalina Garcia, 20 - Cicero *
Julianna Gehant, 32 - Meriden 
Ryanne Mace, 19 - Carpentersville 
Daniel Parmenter, 20 - Elmhurst 
Steven Kazmierczak, 27 - Champaign (perpetrator)

Neil left on Feb 13th ( http://www.mortystv.com/archive/bb9/bb9_week1.shtml)

Hefe is right, Neil left the show before it happens. It does not make any sense. Maybe the shooting story was an excuse. We still do not know the *real* reason, again... 

Copied from Neil Garcia's MYSPACE:



> "Thank you so much for the outpouring care, support, and concern from all the Big Brother fans. This has been a difficult time for my family, which I am dealing with privately. The drama is slowly being resolved, and all is headed to a brighter place," wrote Garcia.
> 
> "I am now happy to say, that I am spending time with close friends and family. I wish Joshuah the best of luck and hope that he keeps up our brilliant strategy to win the big prize with my replacement, Sharon. Please know that I will NOT be back to the Big Brother house and contrary to some web speculation, I was not let go for health reasons. Eeek! Again, thanks to each and every one of you for your support during all of this Big Brother business."


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