During happier times. From left, Thevan Moodley, Kellen Moodley, Tammy Moodley, Bré Moodley, Kammy Moodley, Kaden Moodley and Niven Maharaj.
Image: Supplied
KELLEN Moodley will continue his twin brother’s legacy by fulfilling his dream of becoming a renowned businessman in Dubai. He was dealt a severe blow when his identical twin, Kaden, collapsed and died last Tuesday while participating in a warm-up session for a soccer match.
Kaden, 15, a Grade 10 pupil at Glenwood High School, is suspected to have suffered from cardiac arrest.
Speaking to the POST on Monday, Kellen said he was still trying to come to terms with the fact that he would not spend time with Kaden again. He said they shared a special bond.
“Like any siblings, we fought but we always made up. I was always there for him, and he was there for me. If I needed to speak to someone and it was some-thing I couldn't share with anyone else, he was my go-to person, and vice versa.
“I knew my brother had a dream of becoming a businessman, and he wanted to open 10 businesses in Dubai. I will honour his dream no matter what,” he promised.
Kellen said he would miss his brother’s jokes.
“Every day, he randomly searched for ‘dad jokes’ and shared them with us at supper time. He was very outgoing and always liked to have fun. Even though he was only a few minutes older than me, he acted like he was so much older. I will miss all the fun we had together,” he said.
Their older sister, Bré, 16, said she had last spoken to Kaden the morning before he left for school.
“Kaden stayed up all night studying in my room. He woke me up to ask if I was going to school and I said I was not as we were not writing an examination. He had to go as he was writing a test he had missed the previous week because he had the flu. He slept next to me, and then after a while he woke up to study further and then fell asleep again at the desk. Our dad got him up to get ready for school.
“It was later that day when Kellen, who was also at home with me, received a call from a friend that Kaden had collapsed. I called our parents who were out at the time, and they rushed to the school. I will never forget receiving the news that my baby brother was gone.
"During the course of the day, Kellen and I talked about how our friends, who stayed at our home recently, said, ‘the one thing about these Moodley siblings, they always have each other’s back’,” she recalled.
Bré said they were considered triplets while growing up.
“People thought we were triplets because we are close in age and were all tiny. But as we got older, they sprouted and I looked like the younger sister. We were really close, and spent a lot of time together doing activities. We would go bowling, to the movies or watch them at home, and cook together. One of the things that we used to do every night is blast the music and sing along really loud,” she said.
Their eldest sister, Tammy, 28, said due to the age difference, they weren’t as close growing up.
“However, as they grew older we got closer. They also got bigger in size and would give me those overbearing hugs. But Kaden was a lot more affectionate. He always wanted to hold, hug and ‘smother’ me. One day, I told him I am going to change his name to “smother-son”. The nickname just stayed.
“Two years ago, he made us matching T-shirts for Christmas. I didn't even realise how much he loved the shirt until we were looking at pictures after his passing. He wore his name with pride. He was also my biggest fan. I am a content creator and he would be the first to like and comment on my posts. However, his favourite word to use was ‘bangers',” she said.
Tammy said Kaden also shared a special bond with her fiancé, Niven Maharaj.
“They shared such a unique bond as my fiancé is a fraternal twin. He also shared a lot of first-time experiences with Niven such as going go-karting and quad-biking. They also played soccer together. As their older sister, I also made a conscious decision to make them talk about their feelings and then we would work through it,” she said.
His father, Thevan Moodley, said: “As a parent, your worst nightmare is losing a child. I don't think you can gear yourself up to expect this. When I dropped him off that morning, I said to him ‘have a good day, I will see you later and I love you’. I was the last family member to spend time with him. My son was very meticulous. I taught our children to always have a plan of action and a plan of execution. He always did because of his passion to achieve the best. Kaden had a beautiful soul and touched the hearts of those he came into contact with.”
Moodley said while they were still waiting for the post-mortem results, he was informed that it could have been cardiac arrest.
His mother, Kammy, said he was a “mummy’s boy”.
“My heart is full. Everyone knows my four children are my whole world. I tell them every day how much I love them, and they do as well. But, Kaden was a mummy’s boy. He would always be next to me, and would never let me go anywhere alone. I would ask him if I was his twin.
“He also did everything for me, and now I don’t know how to do anything for myself. He was a phenomenal child,” she said.
She said one of the hardest days would be birthdays which were often grandly celebrated in their home.
“My husband’s birthday was just two days after Kaden’s passing. We have always ensured that everyone’s special day is celebrated. It will be very hard without him, but we know that he would want us to be happy and keep smiling, like he always did.”
She said they were grateful for the outpouring of support including from his school.
“We are grateful for all of the support, even from around the world. We are also thankful to the school and the pupils who are a true definition of the word brotherhood. My son always wanted to be famous, and now he is.”
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