On 22nd May 2025, Emyr and Prajesh stood once more at the summit of Mount Kinabalu, the same sacred mountain where, ten years ago, their school expedition was forever changed by a powerful earthquake. This time, they returned not as students, but as survivors, carrying the memories of friends and teachers who could not return with them.
This commemorative climb, held in honour of the 10th anniversary of the 2015 Kinabalu Earthquake, marked a full circle for both young men. Joined by Cornelius Sanan, the mountain guide who had helped rescue Prajesh after the earthquake, the journey was filled with memory, reconnection, and a quiet sense of strength.
Reunion and Remembrance
The reunion between Cornelius, Prajesh, and Emyr was warm and full of meaning. Cornelius smiled when he saw that Prajesh still wore the same necklace from 2015, now strung on a gold chain instead of a yellow string. “Lucky charm! That’s a lucky charm!" he exclaimed.
Before the climb began, the group visited the Kinabalu Earthquake Memorial to pay tribute to their late friends and teachers. Emyr and Prajesh brought messages from loved ones in Singapore. One read: “They were taken too early but left behind laughter, friendship, and memories that will never fade... I carry their stories with me, and they will always be remembered as our brave hearts.”
Standing in front of the memorial, Emyr reflected: “It’s sad. My name could have been etched on there. But my friends, they’re in a better place. They’re in heaven, for sure. These kind souls, there’s no other place for them.”
Prajesh added, “The memories we have with them, they will forever stay with us.”
Climbing the Mountain, Reconnecting the Past
The climb itself brought both clarity and emotion. On the new trail to Panalaban, Cornelius pointed out where the old trails used to branch off, places Emyr still vividly remembered. “That section,” Emyr said, “that’s where I had to slide down the valley after the trail was blocked by boulders.”
For Prajesh, the climb was about piecing together fragments. His memory of the earthquake is patchy, so hearing Cornelius retell the rescue filled in vital gaps. “I just found out yesterday,” he said, “that when they found me, I was unconscious, but my legs were kicking. They said I nodded when they spoke to me, but I don’t remember any of it. They made a decision to bring me down right away, and that saved my life.”
Cornelius had spotted the flicker of orange from Prajesh’s shoes all the way from Panalaban Base Camp and rushed up the route. With no time to spare, he carried Prajesh down the mountain. “They gave me a second life,” Prajesh said. “It’s something I will always be grateful for.”
Later that afternoon, upon reaching Panalaban, Emyr and Prajesh visited Pendant Hut, the same accommodation they had stayed in during their 2015 expedition. There, they recreated an old photo taken with their schoolmates and met several via ferrata trainers from Mountain Torq, some of whom had been with them on that day. Mountain Torq had lost two trainers during the earthquake, making the reunion both tender and emotional.
They also took time to write postcards to their families back home, dropping them into the Pendant Hut post-box – the highest post-box in Malaysia. It was a quiet moment of connection between past and present, and a gesture of gratitude to those waiting at home.
The Setback
It was constant showers the night before the planned summit. At 3:30AM on May 21st, Sabah Parks officially closed the summit for safety. The news hit hard.
Though Emyr and Prajesh had spent years preparing for this climb, they took the decision with quiet grace. “Obviously we were a little bit disappointed,” Prajesh said. “But it’s mother nature. We had to accept it.”
What we witnessed, though, was far more tender. Despite the clear disappointment in their eyes, it was us they comforted. Seeing our own heartbreak for them, they offered soft reassurances. “It’s okay,” they said, “We’re fine!” In that moment, their resilience and kindness spoke louder than any words.
With the support from Amazing Borneo, the team was able to extend their stay and prepare for another attempt the following morning.
What We Found in the Waiting
The extra day gave them more than just a second shot at the summit. It gifted them time – and space – to explore unanswered questions and return to places that had once been unreachable.
“It turned out to be such a good thing,” Prajesh reflected. “Because we got to discover more about what happened that day.”
With their spare time they were able to visit the Gunting Lagadan Hut – which was destroyed in the earthquake – and the original summit trailhead. This was the very path their group would have taken in 2015 to access the via ferrata route. Now safer but emotionally charged, it was a place of profound reflection. Cornelius pointed out the tree where he had found Prajesh lying unconscious, just visible beneath the cover of the forest. Nearby were the boulders that had crashed down on them during the earthquake. “Some of them are the size of cars,” Emyr said.
“It was really nice to get to know what exactly happened,” shared Prajesh, “how much risk they put themselves in to save us. That made me feel even more grateful.”
They also used that time to connect with others whose lives had been forever changed by the earthquake. They spoke with family members of the late mountain guides, shared quiet moments of grief and grace, and embraced those they had never met but somehow already knew.
As memories flooded back, one of the stories Emyr recounted to us was how he had been stranded on the via ferrata route, ropes tangled and pinned. He remembered a guide rappelling across the cliff face toward him, cutting his rope, and telling him to rappel sideways to safety. The guide had acted swiftly, disappearing just as quickly, leaving Emyr with a sense of awe, gratitude, and an enduring mystery.
“I’ve always wondered who that guide was,” Emyr said, “the one who cut my rope. I was hoping to find out on this trip… but I still don’t know.”
A Wider Impact Than They Knew
During their descent, Emyr and Prajesh had unexpected encounters – with fellow survivors, MOSAR team members, and even Robbie Sapinggi’s father.
“When I saw him, I didn’t know who he was,” Emyr said. “But when I looked into his eyes, my first instinct was to hug him.”
The impact extended far beyond the trail. “We thought this was just important to Singaporeans,” Emyr said, “but so many Malaysians were watching too. I didn’t expect that kind of love and support. I hope this gave them some closure too.”
Legacy and the Lessons They Carry
When asked why he chose to share his story publicly, Emyr replied: “My friends were the nicest of people, the kindest of souls, and they should be remembered as Singapore heroes. They were role models. I like to share about them in hopes that people can see that my friends were not ordinary people, that they were more than ordinary, and maybe they’ll be inspired by that.”
He added, “We learned that, ‘Hey, we survived an earthquake, we can do anything.’ There’s this new sense of bravery. I strive for the best in whatever I do. I was given a second chance, so might as well make the most of it.”
Ten years ago, they climbed alongside friends who embodied quiet strength and deep kindness. Today, those same traits echo in every step Emyr and Prajesh take. This return wasn’t only about remembrance. It was about becoming.
The Summit and a Flood of Memory
The skies, heavy with rain the night before, were clear and still as they reached the peak on 22nd May, an unexpected gift from the mountain.
For Prajesh, the final push had been especially challenging. He began feeling symptoms of altitude sickness early in the ascent, battling nausea and dizziness. But he pushed through the discomfort with quiet determination, refusing to let it stop him. Step by step, he made it to the summit.
Emyr was overcome.
“When I was up there, I didn’t expect to cry. But the tears just came. I haven’t cried about the incident in 10 years. But at the summit, it all came back – the conversations, the laughter, the jokes. I think I’ve found closure. I finished what my friends didn’t get to finish. And I finished it for them.”
Thank You for Following Their Journey
Amazing Borneo is honoured to have walked alongside Emyr, Prajesh, and Cornelius on this meaningful return. We thank our readers for joining us in remembering 5th June 2015, and for celebrating the courage that continues to rise with every new step taken on Mount Kinabalu.
Stay connected for upcoming stories featuring more reflections from guides, staff, and community members who helped shape the response and recovery in the days after the quake.