President Tharman sends condolences to brother of man with cerebral palsy who died
The death of Gunaseelan Vanaz, 42, who had cerebral palsy, left an indelible mark on his brother, Suresh Vanaz, who shared a special bond with him.
Their story has moved many, including President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who sent his condolences in a letter to Suresh.
Suresh shared the letter on his Instagram page on Sept 11.
‘My deepest condolences’: President Tharman
In a letter dated Sept 10, President Tharman expressed his “deepest condolences” to Suresh on the passing of Gunaseelan, fondly known as Seelan.
He wrote that he had read the recent CNA story of his “inspiring devotion” towards Seelan throughout his years of living with a disability.
President Tharman described their bond as “beautiful” and commended Suresh for standing by Seelan, giving him security, warmth and dignity.
“I hope and trust you find peace and strength in the memories of the love you shared with Seelan,” he wrote.
In his caption, Suresh thanked President Tharman for the “very special and heartfelt condolence message” and for taking the time to read about his brother’s life.
“Your words truly touched my heart and mean so much to me, (my) beloved brother and all our loved ones during this painful time,” he wrote. “To receive such kind words from our President is something I will always treasure.”
Suresh continued, remembering Seelan as a “beautiful soul” who never let his disabilities define him.
“Seelan, your beautiful smile will live in our hearts forever. You were deeply loved, you are deeply missed, and you will always be remembered with love and respect,” he said.
‘He died on my chest’: Suresh
Suresh told Stomp over the phone that he had taken his brother to Johor Bahru on Aug 28 for a short trip.
The next day, Seelan developed a slight fever before suffering a seizure at around 5pm. Suresh administered his medication, but noticed that his brother’s breathing had become unusually “effortful”.
Suresh picked him up and cradled him against his chest to comfort him. A few seconds later, at around 6.35pm, Seelan stopped breathing.
“He died on my chest,” Suresh said, choking up over the phone.
A doctor who visited the home shortly after said Seelan’s cause of death was pneumonia.
The family then informed their loved ones, who gathered at their home to pay their last respects.
During the funeral procession on Sept 1, crowds gathered in Serangoon to bid farewell to Seelan.
Videos showed Suresh sobbing over his casket during the procession.
Suresh carried Seelan up Batu Caves almost yearly
The brothers previously made headlines in February 2025 when Suresh shared about his tradition of carrying Seelan up the steps of Batu Caves in Selangor during Thaipusam.
Suresh, then 46, said caring for his younger brother was a privilege rather than a duty, and he wanted Seelan to experience life as fully as possible.
He had previously taken Seelan to India, carrying him for much of their 11-day trip, and hoped to bring him to more places, including Phuket and Europe.
“I just want him to experience life without limits, the way any other person would,” he said.
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