“Shovel superhero” Lin Hung-sen (林鴻森), owner of a Taoyuan excavation company who volunteered to help with cleanup efforts in Hualien County’s flood-hit Guangfu Township (光復), died on Monday while assisting disaster victims from an injury sustained during the effort.
President William Lai (賴清德) visited the funeral hall to offer incense and pay his respects, representing all citizens in expressing the deepest admiration for Lin and expressing condolences and well-wishes to his family. However, while Lai paid his respects, Hualien County Commissioner Hsu Chen-wei (徐榛蔚) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁) did not.
The day after disaster struck, Lin and his nephew hauled two skid-steer loaders to Guangfu to assist in rescue efforts. Sweating as he shoveled the heavy mud without expecting anything in return, his actions demonstrated the courage and compassion of Taiwanese. After he passed away from septic shock caused by an infected wound sustained while taking part in the cleanup, Lin’s selfless deeds and willingness to help have moved the entire nation, and will remain in our hearts for years to come.
At Lin’s funeral, Lai reminded all volunteers and others heading to Hualien to assist in disaster relief efforts to be safe, saying the smallest of injuries should not be ignored. Lai instructed health agencies to step up mobile medical services to support volunteers. The question is: Will the Hualien County Government cooperate?
Everyone has already seen Fu and Hsu, playing an act rather than genuinely assisting the Guangfu residents in recovering from the disaster. Hsu even went so far as to instruct Lai on how to properly conduct disaster relief, while Fu demanded state compensation — first filing complaints, and later blaming the central government for the disaster despite its efforts to assist Hualien.
How many KMT members actually went to Hualien to assist with disaster relief? While Hualien saw so many casualties, KMT Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia (夏立言) led a delegation to China’s Fujian Province to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with the enemy. How can a party that behaves this way still claim to care about Taiwan?
Giving his own life, Lin embodied the saying that Taiwan’s most beautiful scenery is its people. May he rest in peace, and may his family receive our deepest respect and gratitude. The nation should formally honor him.
Teng Hon-yuan is an associate professor at Aletheia University.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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