Until this week, Agam Rinjani was just another trekking guide working Indonesia’s infamous Mount Rinjani trail. Now, he’s a national hero in Brazil, with locals writing poems in his name, thanking him for his actions.
In the days following the tragic passing of Brazilian backpacker Juliana Marins, reports surfaced that it was Agam—not government officials or military responders—who led a group back down the volcano’s deadly slopes to recover her body.
Enduring unstable terrain and suffocating volcanic gas, Agam and his team descended 1,600 feet inside the crater—all to bring closure to Juliana’s grieving family in Brazil.
Indonesian trekking guide became a hero in Brazil after news spread of him risking his life to recover the body of Juliana Marins
Image credits: agam_rinjani
“He’s the one who assembled a team to go after Juliana while the government did nothing,” read a viral post that amassed more than 1.3 million views in a day.
“He’s the one who descended the volcano to retrieve her body. And it was he who carried Juliana back up. He deserves our gratitude—not the Indonesian government.”
Image credits: tyo_survival
26-year-old Juliana Marins, fell into a ravine while hiking with a group on June 21. For four days, she remained stranded with no help from officials, despite her family’s desperate pleas and circulating footage showing her alive and visibly distressed.
“Juliana was desperate because no one came back for her, and she fell,” her sister Mariana wrote. “They abandoned Juliana.”
Image credits: ajulianamarins
Mount Rinjani is a popular yet perilous trekking destination located on the island of Lombok. It’s known for its steep slopes, unstable weather, and lack of safety infrastructure.
Juliana had joined a group of five hikers and a local guide when she began showing signs of fatigue. According to Mariana, instead of assisting her, the group continued toward the summit, leaving the 26-year-old behind.
Juliana was located by chance hours later—not by officials, but by a group of passing tourists who used a drone to capture video of her stranded in a rocky ravine. The footage eventually reached her family in Brazil, and with it came a glimmer of hope that she was still alive.
Agam's social media got flooded with messages of gratitude from Brazilian netizens
Image credits: ajulianamarins
While Indonesia’s official search effort was riddled with confusion, delays, and ultimately failure, Agam stepped in. According to locals, it was he who first volunteered to climb back up the trail in hopes of reaching Juliana while she might still be alive.
Agam’s social media has since exploded with an unprecedented outpouring of love, gratitude, and admiration from Brazilian netizens, who turned the humble hiker into a national hero overnight.
“You deserve our Brazilian love and a lot of respect,” one commenter posted.
“Brazil thanks you for your bravery, solidarity, and empathy. You deserve all our respect,” another added.
“You are a giant. Thank you for not giving up on Juliana,” read another.
Image credits: agam_rinjani
A poem even began circulating online, entitled Homenagem ao Herói Silencioso do Rinjani—“Tribute to the Silent Hero of Rinjani.” It describes Agam’s descent into the volcano as an act of selfless love for a stranger:
“He didn’t know her name, her story, or where she came from…
But still, he descended into the abyss where few dare tread…
While many watched from afar, he climbed back carrying the weight of her body, of exhaustion, and of a grieving Brazil on his shoulders.”
Both Brazil and Indonesia's government are facing scrutiny after failing to rescue Juliana on time
Footage shows the team navigating jagged rocks and thick volcanic gas, with Agam presumably coordinating efforts and personally shouldering the final leg of the return.
“He stayed with her so she wouldn’t be just another lost body,” the poem continues. “So she could be honored as a daughter, a sister, a Brazilian. A life worthy of dignity until the very end.”
In the wake of his bravery, some Brazilians are calling for a national fundraising campaign to compensate the entire rescue team.
“I think it’s only fair to start a collection to give him and the other volunteers some compensation,” one user posted. “Even if they’re volunteers, their sacrifice deserves recognition.”
Image credits: agam_rinjani
Beyond Agam’s heroic actions, Brazilians have now shifted their focus from grief to calls for reform.
They believe both Brazil and Indonesia’s governments are ultimately responsible for the tragedy, with outrage directed at what many see as a failure on both sides to act swiftly and responsibly.
Brazil is being blamed for the slow and ineffective response from its diplomatic institutions, while Indonesia is facing criticism for their country’s lack of proper safety infrastructure—particularly on Mount Rinjani, one of the nation's most visited destinations.
“This can’t happen again,” a user wrote. “There must be justice for this level of neglect.”
"True hero": Agam's example became a shining light in an otherwise dark tragedy
