“It took me just two minutes to cross the river, but it felt like an eternity. I prayed all the way'

In a daring act, Sabeena, a nurse from Tamil Nadu, zip-lined across the Wayanad River to save 35 lives in the Kerala town ravaged by floods that killed hundreds of people. “It took me just two minutes to cross the river, but it felt like an eternity. The raging waters beneath were terrifying—I closed my eyes and prayed the whole way,” Sabeena recounted, remembering the harrowing sight of bodies being swept away below her. She came into the spotlight a few days ago when village volunteers circulated videos of her zip-lining. After hearing about the deadly landslide on July 31, Sabeena traveled 70 kilometers to Wayanad, braving heavy rains, strong winds, and knee-deep sludge to reach the affected area. She zip-lined 10 times over 5 days across the Mundakkai-Suralmalai River, saving 35 lives. “I just closed my eyes and prayed as I went across,” Sabeena said, recalling the sight of bodies being swept away beneath her.