Singaporean with cerebral palsy dies at 42, remembered for Thaipusam journeys with devoted brother

The 42-year-old Singaporean man with cerebral palsy, who was carried up Malaysia's Batu Caves by his brother during Thaipusam, has died.

News of his death was shared by his brother, Suresh Vanaz, in an Instagram (IG) post on Sunday (August 30).

Suresh shared a notice of his brother Gunaseelan's wake in the post. 

The notice featured a Manchester United logo in the background and stated that Gunaseelan died on Saturday.

"With a very heavy heart that I share the heartbreaking news that my beloved brother, Gunaseelan, has passed away peacefully," Suresh wrote.

Describing his brother's death as a "sudden loss", he said Gunaseelan would "always hold a special place" in his heart.

The post drew numerous messages of condolence from Suresh's IG followers.

One wrote that Suresh should be "truly proud" of himself for caring for Gunaseelan "while protecting his dignity and keeping his respect intact", describing it as "one of the greatest acts of love anyone can give".

Carried Gunaseelan 'like a kavadi' during Thaipusam

For more than a decade, Suresh was the sole caregiver to Gunaseelan, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of three and was wheelchair-bound. 

Their mother died from an illness in 2009.

In 2025, Suresh carried Gunaseelan, who weighed almost 70kg, during a four-kilometre Thaipusam procession to Sri Thendayuthapani Temple in River Valley.

"I have been carrying my brother like a kavadi," Suresh told AsiaOne then, saying he had cared for Gunaseelan for as long as he could remember.

He had also taken Gunaseelan to Batu Caves in Selangor since 2022, carrying him up its 272 steps as part of their Thaipusam tradition.

Pleaded guilty

In December 2025, Suresh, then 46, pleaded guilty in a Malaysian court to disorderly conduct stemming from an incident at a police station.

He was fined RM400 ($127).

He also pleaded guilty to causing hurt and was fined RM1,500 for the offence.

A part-time actor, he was among four Singaporeans charged following two separate altercations in Malaysia.

'Very devastated and broken'

Suresh's family told AsiaOne that Gunaseelan died from pneumonia.

They said Suresh has been "very devastated and broken" by his brother's death and misses him greatly.

"He misses Seelan a lot. It will take a lot of time for him to heal from Seelan's death," the family said.

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helmy.saat@asiaone.com