When Joshua Ruff’s heart stopped for three minutes, everything changed. Living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) since childhood, Joshua had already navigated a lifetime of disability, adaptation, and resilience. But in 2020, a sudden cardiac arrest during the early days of COVID forced him into a profound reckoning with mortality, fear, and what actually matters. Unable to speak and communicating only through his eyes, Joshua was told he might never return home. Instead, that moment became the catalyst for a new way of living. One centred on human connection, creative purpose, and letting go of fear. In this powerful conversation, Joshua shares how surviving cardiac arrest reshaped his outlook on life, relationships, and ambition. He opens up about growing up with DMD, the emotional toll of teenage years, and the quiet pressure to always appear positive as a wheelchair user. We explore how gardening became both therapy and vocation, leading to the creation of Henle Gardens, a lavender farm producing oil, products, and community experiences. This episode is about disability, yes. But more than that, it is about meaning, independence, love, and choosing to live fully without apology. Key Topics Covered Surviving a cardiac arrest and communicating only through eye movement Living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and challenging early life expectancy narratives Letting go of fear after facing death Gardening as purpose, therapy, and business Building an accessible lavender farm and producing lavender oil Independence, support systems, and redefining success Why people with disability are elite problem solvers Relationships, self-worth, and rejecting the idea of being a burden Positivity, grief, and the danger of masking emotions Notable Moments “The most important thing is human connection. Everything else doesn’t matter.” “My heart stopped for three minutes, and somehow that freed me.” “I didn’t believe I deserved a relationship. That belief almost cost me one.” “People with disability are the best problem solvers because life never gives us the easy path.” “Independence for me is choice, not doing everything alone.” About Joshua Ruff Joshua Ruff is a gardener, lavender producer, and founder of Henle Gardens in regional Victoria. Living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Joshua has transformed personal adversity into creative expression, community connection, and entrepreneurship. After surviving cardiac arrest in 2020, he committed to building a life driven by purpose rather than fear. Today, his lavender farm produces oil, dried lavender products, and hosts garden visits, festivals, and community groups, proving that accessibility and beauty are not mutually exclusive.
