Matilda Tao grieves her murdered high school teacher: 'Why did such a good person have such a cruel end?'

Before she had the chance to reunite with her former teacher, Taiwanese host Matilda Tao found out the latter was murdered.

In a Facebook post last Friday (Dec 1), the 54-year-old shared how her high school Chinese teacher Tan Jiahua at Taipei Municipal Zhongshan Girls High School "died at the hands of a junior whom she loved".

She wrote: "Have you ever thought about how your life would end? She was my high school Chinese teacher, a dedicated teacher who was funny, taught in ways that we could understand and sang to wake everyone up.

"Honestly, there were not many teachers who I can remember for a lifetime, let alone have such happy memories of."

Adding how Jiang was a "warm light", she said a senior from school had asked her to visit Jiang together for a chat over tea.

"I didn't expect that my teacher would be gone before I could see her. My senior said that although our teacher was in her 70s, she was still very healthy. She was such a cheerful person, she would have surely lived to be 100 years old."

According to Matilda, Jiang was stabbed to death in the street by a drug addict - someone the elderly woman knew - who needed money.

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Matilda continued: "Why did such a good person have such a cruel end? Teacher Jiang, may you be happy despite your bitter end and I hope you know everyone's love and gratitude for you, thank you."

Netizens took to the comments to convey their condolences and comfort Matilda.

"Although I don't know her personally, I believe that people who did a lot of good things while alive and lived righteously will also go on a good path after they die (the key point is that murderers must be punished strictly)," commented one netizen.

Another remarked: "She must have been a great teacher to be remembered like this by students. Rest in peace."

Another added how she has been "shocked for a few days" over the news.

Taiwanese publications reported that a 37-year-old man had stabbed his aunt, 76, on Nov 29 after she didn't give him NT$50,000 (S$2,127).

syarifahsn@asiaone.com

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