Obituary of Glany Saldanha
With immense sadness and heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved Glany Lassan Saldanha on January 18, 2026, at the young age of 41, after a four year long courageous clash with a rare and relentless brain cancer.
Glany was born in Ujire (India) and raised in Belthangady (India), cherished son of Ronald (predeceased) and Monthine Saldanha, adored brother to Preethi and Perlin.
Glany was a devoted husband to his beloved wife Anitha, with whom he shared a loving marriage since 2015. Together, they built a life rooted in love, loyalty, and quiet strength.
He was, in his most important role thus far, the proudest father in the entire universe, to son Gabriel.
Glany was truly a remarkable man—brave beyond words. He was a shining light in the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing him. He stood strong despite overwhelming odds, carrying his cross with quiet courage and dignity. Even in pain, he never lost his smile, a reflection of the beautiful soul and deep faith he carried within him. Though life put so many obstacles on his way, he courageously waded through every situation. His strong will and determination to improve and adapt to the harsh changes life brought his way while silently trusting in God, cemented his bravery.
His journey on this earth was one marked by love, compassion, and unwavering faith in God. A man of strong faith, he would never miss Sunday mass or daily prayers. Though he was affected by cancer that made him legally blind, he never gave up his faith or prayers. Braving through six brain surgeries in the past four years only made his faith even stronger.
Glany was immensely smart, funny and quick-witted, with sharp intelligence. One of the kindest and most positive people to be around, his presence brought warmth, laughter, and light to every room he entered, and would go far out of his way to ensure everyone's comfort, health and happiness.
Known for his hardworking nature and his love for planning, Glany liked things to be perfect, and he always thought ahead before taking a step. Even at a young age, he carried himself with purpose, showing us that he had dreams and plans for his life. Those early qualities defined him and are the memories we will always hold close.
After completing his education in India with an Engineering degree in Electronics & Communication, he worked in the finance and public transit domains, specializing in IT development in several institutions in Mangalore, Bangalore (India), Cape Town (South Africa) and Toronto (Canada). He was an engineer in the true sense, technically astute, always trying to find solutions to problems - very handy and always fixing things around the house.
As expressed by his teacher, he was a gem of a student in his school life. His childhood was also marked by that same kindness, discipline, and determination. He was a child who cared deeply about the people around him and went out of his way to help others whenever he could. His kindness was constant, and his presence made people feel supported and valued.
Glany also had a strong sense of self and many interests that defined him. His broad knowledge extended to any topic under the sun, which he used to soak up whether it be history, geography, the latest news or technology.
He was always up for adventure, open to newer adventures and he absolutely loved the outdoors, be it going on long drives on the truck his family owned, going trekking with his friends in the Western Ghats, hiking in the tall mountains of Cape Town, bungee jumping, treetop trekking, paragliding, zip lining, kayaking, canoeing or skiing. It was said by friends in Cape Town that there was no mountain Glany had not hiked and none that he could not identify by sight. He also enjoyed gardening and his green thumb was a matter of much conversation.
Many friends can testify to the bonding that took place over hiking trips, shared meals or travel. His ability to listen, to tell stories, to share his plethora of knowledge and to connect with those around him will leave a large hole for so many people. Glany will be missed dearly for his caring nature, sense of humour and all the fun and originality he brought to their lives.
At home, he was a man who quietly did every job with initiative, loved his family with passion and fortuitous commitment and loyalty. He was an ardent support to his wife Anitha with her baking orders, always ready with creative inputs and ideas, helping with the bazaar stall sales, being the taste tester and the delivery guy, all rolled in one.
He delighted in volunteering at the Eden Food for Change food bank, and the Canadian Cancer Society, with giving back to his community always being of prime importance to him. He was an active member of the gardening volunteer group at St. John of The Cross Parish. He was also the volunteer site master for iTech Skills Academy, which helped newcomers learn new IT skills.
He was a champion blood donor at the Western Cape Blood Services in Cape Town during the time he lived there. He was a blood donor at Canadian Blood Services as well, though he was later unable to donate due to his cancer diagnosis.
A lover of music, he could be heard singing the latest (and not so latest) English, Hindi, Konkani and Kannada songs. He could instantly identify songs from tune/melody and remember songs word-for-word.
Glany will be sorely missed by his family including his loving wife Anitha, his son - sweet little Gabriel, his devoted mother Monthine, his doting sisters Preethi/Leslie Gomes and Perlin/Manoj D’Souza, his parents in law Alfred/Eliza D’Souza, brother in law Edmund/Neetha D’Souza, nieces and nephews – Chrisyl, Keith, Eden and Eva, along with extended family and many friends.
His strength, perseverance, and gentle spirit will forever remain an inspiration to all of us who were blessed to know him. His plans may now be unfinished, but the impact he made is complete. Glany’s life—beginning with the boy he once was—will continue to guide us, inspire us, and remind us of the beauty of a kind and thoughtful soul.
We are ever thankful to the immense, unconditional support given by extended family, community and friends during particularly challenging times. We would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to the doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff who cared for him with compassion, dignity, and dedication.
We invite you to join us at St. John of the Cross Carmelite Parish (6890 Glen Erin Drive, Mississauga) for visiting at 12:30 p.m. followed by the Funeral Mass at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 31, 2026. A live stream link of the Funeral Mass will be made available by clicking THIS LINK HERE. Virtual guests are reminded to ensure their volumes are set to high and that no technical assistance will be made available.
The Rite of Committal (Burial) will take place following the Funeral Mass at the Canadian Canara Vision St. Peter’s Burial Ground of Meadowvale Cemetery (7732 Mavis Road, north of HWY 407) Please follow in procession from the church.
May the Lord grant him eternal rest and may perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.
In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to the Canadian Cancer Society (please choose “Brain & CNS Cancer Research” in memory of Glany Lassan Saldanha) or to Eden Food for Change by using the Donations tab on this page.
We invite you to share your memories, photos or a sentiment of Glany’s life here on his memorial legacy page.
Uniquely entrusted to eco Cremation & Burial Services Inc., proudly serving the Canadian Canara Vision Community.
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