TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Ko Cheng-fa (柯承發), the father of former Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chair Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), passed away at 8:40 a.m. on Monday at National Taiwan University Hospital in Hsinchu at the age of 94.

Ko is survived by his wife, Ho Jui-ying (何瑞英), and daughter Ko Mei-lan (柯美蘭). He and his wife regularly attended 228 Incident memorial events, honoring the victims of the Kuomintang’s (KMT) violent suppression of an anti-government uprising, per Liberty Times.

Ko often spoke about his father, Ko Shih-yuan (柯世元), an elementary school teacher who was arrested and tortured after protecting colleagues during the 228 Incident. He died from his injuries the following day, leaving his family in financial hardship as they struggled to raise nine children.

Ko also recalled witnessing the aftermath of the 228 Incident as a second-year student at Hsinchu Junior High School. Two days after the uprising, he was drawn to a commotion behind what is now Hsinchu City Hall, where KMT soldiers fired indiscriminately into a crowd. He narrowly escaped unharmed.

Financial difficulties prevented him from attending the National Taiwan University College of Medicine, where his older brother was already enrolled. Instead, he studied at National Hsinchu University of Education on a government scholarship and later taught at Dongyuan Elementary School in Hsinchu City for 32 years before retiring.

Given the loss of his father at the age of 53, Ko expressed gratitude for living into his 90s. The tragic family history also led Ko to oppose his son’s entry into politics, wary of the challenges it would bring.