16-year-old student could not afford funeral arrangements for deceased father

Taiwan News
Date: 2019/08/29
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A teenage girl living in Taiwan’s eastern county of Hualien wrote a letter to thank a local police officer for securing an emergency fund from a charity to help bury her father, who died of an illness a few days ago, the Central News Agency (CNA) reported on Thursday (Aug. 29).

The girl, surnamed Peng (彭), lived in Fuli Township with her father. Mr. Peng died a few days ago, leaving behind his only daughter, who is still a student, according to CNA.

The family was in a tight financial spot, as Mr. Peng had been bedridden and without income for quite some time, and his 16-year-old daughter could not afford to arrange a funeral for him. After Yuli Precinct officer Tang Yi-shuo (湯奕碩), who is familiar with the family’s situation, learned of Mr. Peng’s death, he helped Miss Peng apply to a charity for an emergency fund.

Tang said that during a routine household visit, he learned Mr. Peng had been divorced from his wife for many years and lived with his only daughter. As Mr. Peng had been out of work long term due to his condition, the family has long been financially strapped, the officer said, adding that the situation has worsened with Mr. Peng's death.    [FULL  STORY]