Sunrise at Kottappara; this was what three youths from Idukki wanted to experience from atop the scenic hills when they set off for a midnight trek on Friday. Hours later, they went through a nightmarish experience after 24-year-old Samson George fell 70 feet down a slippery slope at Kottappara hills. A risky operation by the Kerala fire force saved him. Had he slipped any further, he would’ve fallen into the 1,500-ft-deep gorge below in the Kaliyar forest range, his rescuers would recount later, sighing.

Samson has been advised to rest in bed for six weeks. His body is riddled with bruises and deep cuts. He sustained severe injuries to his spine. His body aches like it has been rolled over, crushed and ripped apart. "Only my face and head were spared from injury—that's probably why I'm still alive," he told Onmanorama, shortly after being discharged from the hospital.

Samson, who works in catering, also takes care of his mother, who was recently treated for a heart condition at Kottayam Medical College. “She just got better—and now I’m the one bedridden,” he says. His father, George, works at a fish stall, while his younger brother Jaison is a Class 12 student

The trek to Kottappara was planned for their friend Jishnu. The view from the hills is stunning. At night, shimmering light from the valley looks like fireflies, and golden rays sneak through the clouds in the morning. The trio, travelling on two bikes, reached the hilltop around 12.30 am. Though it had rained earlier, the weather had momentarily cleared. They chatted, shared snacks, took photos of the illuminated view below, and then lay down on the rocks to rest.

Samson, who lives just 3-4 kilometres from the viewpoint and frequents the area, said the spot is a familiar hangout for locals. “There were sounds of crackers bursting far away, maybe from a church or temple festival. Jishnu was really impressed,” he recalled.

But around 1.30 am, light showers resumed. Samson, who was not wearing a shirt or slippers, woke up first as raindrops fell on him. He was unsteady from sleep, as he tried to move along the rain-soaked rocks, he tripped and tumbled down the steep hillside. "I rolled over rocks and grass, the skin on my body was peeling off, and I kept bleeding. I didn’t know how far I had fallen. At last, I hit a tree. My hands were also injured, with the skin torn away, and I could not hold onto anything. Still, I grabbed the grass and held on," he said.

Meanwhile, Jishnu and Shivaji, woken by the rain, hurried downhill toward where they had parked their bikes. They didn't realise that Samson was missing. They assumed he had run ahead or gone to a nearby shop to escape the rain. But when they failed to find him and couldn’t reach him by phone—Shivaji had the device—they rushed back uphill and searched the area using mobile flashlights, calling out his name. “When we got no response, we feared he might have fallen,” said Jishnu.

They called the emergency helpline, and the alert was passed to Kaliyar police, who coordinated with Thodupuzha fire and rescue department. Assistant Fire Station Officer K Jaffer Khan said they received the alert at 3.15 am and rushed to the spot, about 25 km from their station.

"When we reached and called out Samson’s name, we finally heard his faint response from deep down," said Jishnu. “I could hear them, but I was frozen with fear, unable to respond,” Samson recounted. “ It was freezing. I was shivering, unable to call out. I thought I might die. When they told me to stay put, I did. I was terrified.”

Due to the steep and slippery terrain, the rescue team had to take a longer, 1-km alternate route to descend. “If it had been daylight, we might’ve hesitated—it was that dangerous,” said Fire Officer Jaffer. With ropes, nets, and headlights, the team descended in stages. After 40 feet, a six-member team rappelled down the remaining distance. They found Samson wedged against a tree, covered in cuts and bruises. The spot was also strewn with broken glass bottles, possibly from previous visitors, but luckily, Samson was not injured by them.

After carefully securing him in a rescue net, the team at the top slowly pulled him up while the team below guided the ascent, ensuring no further harm. “It took us nearly three hours. We were extremely cautious, he was badly injured,” said Jaffer.

When the team reached him, Samson initially tried to stand up, saying he could walk. But he soon realised he couldn’t take a step. "My tongue was frozen—I couldn’t speak when they first called me," he said. "Once we reached him, he first asked for water. A bottle was lowered down to him with a rope," said Jaffer.

A few early-morning trekkers also helped the team pull Samson to safety. He was finally rescued by around 6.30 am and rushed to St Mary’s Hospital in Thodupuzha in an ambulance, accompanied by Shivaji and two fire officials.