TORONTO -- A Brampton, Ont. couple who tested positive for COVID-19 have died days apart, leaving three daughters without parents.
A family member told CTV News Toronto that 61-year-old Nagarajah Thesingarajah died in hospital on April 15, just two days after his 56-year-old wife, Pushparani Nagarajah, passed away.
According to family, their three daughters, aged 29, 22, and 19, also tested positive for the virus and remain in isolation in their Brampton home.
"It's all three of them, knowing their parents are not going to go back home," Nathan Kathirgamanathan, the couple's nephew, said. "They're going through so much pain and mentally they are really confused."
Kathirgamanthan told CTV News Toronto that his uncle and aunt had started feeling ill on April 2 and the entire family went to hospital the next day to get tested. Thesingarajah appeared to be in more serious condition and stayed at the hospital while his wife and three daughters were sent home to self-isolate.
A few days later, Nagarajah experienced difficulties breathing and was taken to hospital. She died on April 13 and her husband died on April 15.
"It's sad that they had to go, but there's a reason why they went together," said Kathirgamanathan. "Because ever since he's married, I think over 30 years, he took care of her."
Thesingarajah was an employee at Gate Gourmet Canada in Mississauga, which is a division of GateGroup, an international airline catering and on-board retail company.
“We are deeply saddened by the news and send our sincere condolences to their family and loved ones,” GateGroup spokesperson Nancy Jewell said in a statement to CTV News Toronto.
Thesingurajah also worked part-time delivering Tamil newspaper "Uthayan" to stores and temples in Brampton, Mississauga and Etobicoke. The newspaper's publisher and editor, Nagamany Logendralingam, described him as a "perfect gentleman" who was always "very keen."
He says he last delivered his paper on March 27, days before he fell ill.
Kathirgamanathan says he wants people in those communities to be aware about what happened to his uncle and aunt.
"I just [want to] send an alert and awareness to those people around the area, especially those people who went to these Tamil stores, Sri Lankan stores and seniors' residences, to make sure to check themselves," Kathirgamanathan said.
A family friend set up a GoFundMe campaign to help financially support the couple’s three daughters, who are now mourning the loss of both parents. As of Thursday afternoon, the GoFundMe has raised close to $60,000.