Mataram. A local guide on Mount Rinjani named Agam Rinjani suddenly went viral and caught the attention of Brazilian netizens after successfully recovering the body of a fallen tourist from Brazil, Juliana Marins.

Agam, along with two of his fellow rescuers on Mount Rinjani, camped for several days on the edge of the cliff where Juliana was found on Friday, June 20.

Agam reportedly stayed beside Juliana's body to prevent it from sliding further down the cliff while waiting for rescue assistance to arrive. This heartwarming story quickly spread throughout the hiking community and eventually went viral in Brazil.

Thousands of Brazilian netizens flooded Agam’s Instagram account (@agam_rinjani) with messages of gratitude, praise, and admiration for what they saw as an extraordinary act of bravery.

"What noble people! They risked their lives for someone they didn’t even know. They deserve international recognition, or at least a medal of honor from Brazil," wrote one user whose comment received thousands of likes.

Agam Rinjani was reported to be the first person who bravely descended 600 meters down a steep slope to reach Juliana Marins. Many believe that it was Agam who stayed with Juliana and ensured she could be retrieved by the rest of the team.

Other comments described Agam as “an angel sent by God” and “a radiant soul in a harsh world.” Some users even tagged the President of Brazil, asking that Agam and his team be officially honored.

Agam Rinjani dared to undertake the extremely dangerous rescue mission because he considers Mount Rinjani his second home.

This is despite the statement from the Head of Indonesia’s Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), Air Marshal Mohammad Syafii, who said the operation to evacuate Juliana Marins was one of the most difficult mountain rescue missions in Indonesia’s SAR history.

Syafii emphasized that the terrain was extremely dangerous and nearly impossible to reach without solid teamwork and proper equipment.

“At 13:50 p.m., the victim, Juliana, was successfully evacuated from a depth of 600 meters to the Last Known Position (LKP),” said Syafii.

Agam Rinjani and His Deep Connection with the Mountain
Agam’s bravery during the rescue stems from his deep emotional bond with Mount Rinjani. He has climbed the mountain hundreds of times and knows its most dangerous paths by heart.

“I’ve climbed Mount Rinjani 574 times. To the summit, I’ve been there about 352 times,” said Agam in an interview on the Gakkum Kehutanan YouTube channel, Thursday.

Agam is a well-known figure called upon whenever there’s an issue on Mount Rinjani, especially involving rescue operations.

“Whenever I feel tired of being in the lowlands, I always go to the summit,” he added.

He also claims to often receive premonitions or dreams before something bad happens on the mountain. In fact, before Juliana’s fall, Agam dreamed of a foreign tourist falling near the summit of Mount Rinjani.

Sometimes, while he is involved in special activities on the mountain, accidents occur. For instance, in 2024, an Israeli tourist tragically fell to her death while taking selfies near the summit. In 2016, a climber from Palembang named Ike Suseta Adelia also died during a hike.

Agam recalled that Basarnas struggled to find Ike’s body, believed to have drowned in the Aik Kalak hot springs. Agam happened to discover her body unexpectedly.

“I was at the lake, and suddenly she appeared floating right in front of me,” he said.

He believes that this spiritual connection gives him a unique sense of responsibility. Sometimes, the signs push him to act, even without being directly involved in the initial incident. “Like with the Israeli tourist—it came to me in a dream,” he explained.

Agam believes Mount Rinjani has become a popular destination, particularly among foreign tourists, because it combines all the natural beauty of Indonesia’s mountains in one place.

However, he urges everyone planning to hike Rinjani to prepare thoroughly and always prioritize safety. The mountain should not be underestimated, even when accompanied by a guide or porter.

“Many foreign tourists attempt to reach the summit without bringing a headlamp, relying only on their iPhone. When the battery dies, they’re forced to descend, and then we have to go rescue them,” he said.