An accident that changed lives
Tragedy knows no mercy, no bounds, and no timing—it strikes without warning and leaves devastation in its wake.
Life could never be the same again for 13-year-old Kirtna Mahendran and her 68-year-old grandmother, Tangga Lahmi Supiah.
On one fateful day three years ago, Kirtna’s brother, Devan Raj, met with a bad accident.
Although doctors declared him beyond saving, his mother fervently prayed, and Raj’s heart started beating again.
The 23-year-old, currently in a vegetative state, is cared for by his grandmother and sister, who take turns feeding him through a nasal tube and changing his diapers frequently. Kirtna helps with preparing food for Raj and changing his bedsheets, too. Meanwhile, Grandmother Tangga ensures Raj takes his medication on time and stays alert at night in case of emergencies, such as seizures.
Recently, Raj had two emergencies that required ambulance intervention—one due to sudden vomiting of blood, and another due to a seizure. “His condition is now stable, and he is recovering at home,” said his grandmother.
There was even a time when Kirtna skipped school because Grandmother Tangga could not afford the transportation fees.
By now, Raj has already survived eight brain surgeries. He defied the odds and survived.
But survival came at an enormous cost.
Grandmother Tangga struggled to cover his hefty RM70,000 medical bills and was forced to discharge him from the hospital. Care for Raj has been a daily struggle, but both Kirtna and her grandmother are bravely soldiering on, one step at a time.
Grandmother Tangga is already elderly and unable to work. She stays at home full-time to care for Raj and look after Kirtna, who is still in school. Besides that, she also has to cook meals, do the laundry, and clean the house.
Before the accident, Raj was the breadwinner of the family after their father passed away from a heart attack.
Shortly after Raj’s accident, and in a cruel twist of fate, his mother, Mariammal, also had a heart attack and passed away. While alive, Mariammal was also fighting for her life, battling both heart and kidney problems, which required her to undergo dialysis treatment thrice a week.
For Kirtna, life has been anything but kind. She has lost both her parents to heart disease, is now caring for a bedridden brother, and struggles with a learning disability of her own. It is an unimaginable burden for someone so young.
How much can a child endure? Why does life have to be so unfair?
New Life Foundation helps by visiting the family about three to four times a month. Each time, the social workers buy food and necessities to help the family with their daily needs.
“The most urgent needs right now are Raj’s diapers and medication. Secondary needs include basic daily necessities like household items, rice, vegetables, and dry food,” said Howard Leong, who visited the family on Monday, April 7.
Howard said he always checks if they have enough rice or food to eat, as Grandmother Tangga will always say they have enough. However, when he checks, it is always almost empty.
“Such is their humility that they will not ask for anything,” said Howard.
Although the hopes of Raj’s full recovery are low, the family continues to care for him with unwavering love.
When asked if Raj needed any physiotherapy, Howard said the family was unable to afford the transportation charges to send him to Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (PPUM).
“Each time Raj has a doctor’s appointment, his grandmother will have to call for an ambulance,” he said.
New Life Foundation is supporting the family by helping to raise funds to cover Raj’s outstanding medical bills, which have exceeded RM70,000, while continuing to assist with their daily living needs.
We are reaching out to the kindness in your heart to support Devan Raj’s family through their unimaginable hardships. Your generosity can make a real difference in their daily struggle.
