Taiwan man in his 50s, who lost wife & son in a span of 6 years, dies of heart failure at home

A man in Taiwan, who lost his wife and son over a six-year period, was found dead in his home on Nov. 6.

The man, Ma, who is in his 50s, was found to have died of heart failure, at least five days before his body was found by authorities, Taiwanese broadcaster SETN reported.

Lost wife to lung cancer

Ma, who was about 48 by the time he lost both his wife and son, was featured in a "Self-Reliant Dads" 2021 series by SETN, where he recounted his journey as a father.

Ma, an engineer, and his wife, a nurse, had welcomed their son, Hao Hao, in the third year of their marriage after multiple miscarriages.

However, in 2013, at the age of two, Hao Hao was diagnosed with Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, a rare genetic disorder.

The condition leads to intellectual disability, with symptoms including developmental delays, impaired speech, seizures and breathing abnormalities. There are approximately 500 known cases worldwide.

Around the same time as his son's diagnosis, Ma's wife was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.

Ma would work during the day and take on caregiving duties for his wife and son at night.

His wife subsequently passed away in 2015 when their son was four.

Lost son six years later

Following his wife's death, Ma quit his job to look after his son full-time, as he was facing health issues and did not want the boy to lose both his father and mother.

He also moved back from Taipei to his matrimonial home in Taichung, and studied Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to better care for Hao Hao.

However, in January 2021, Hao Hao fainted at home and could not be resuscitated.

After his son's funeral, Ma, wrote his life goals on a whiteboard at his home as a promise to his deceased wife and son to "live well".

He continued to look for job opportunities, and lived alone in the Taichung home till his death.

Died of heart failure at home

Ma's death was discovered on Nov. 6, 2025 after lift maintenance workers smelled a strong odour.

Police and firefighters broke down Ma's door and found his body on the bathroom floor, fully clothed.

A forensic examination determined that Ma had been dead at least five days earlier.

The cause of death was indicated as heart failure.

Ma's sister told SETN that her brother would be cremated and the ashes buried under a tree with those of his son Hao Hao.

In some sense, it means that their family is finally reunited, she said.

Ma's sister also expressed her gratitude for the care and support many have shown to Ma during his journey, which comforted him in his grief.

Top image from SETN