At the end of 2025 Joel was working hard in one of the most physically demanding professions, shearing. For those not familiar with the sheep shearing industry, a day of shearing is considered to be physically equivalent to running a marathon. It requires fitness and strength. It is very hard work that is contracted and shearers only get paid when they are working.

In the first week of January 2026, Joel became unwell and within days of first attending the emergency room he went into cardiac arrest.

At age 27, Joel‘s heart was working at only 10% capacity. Then it stopped beating.

Joel was airlifted to the Alfred Hospital in Victoria where he remains in the Intensive Care Unit. Currently his heart is still only working at 10% of its capacity.

Joel will undergo a procedure to implant an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) to assist his heart and to reduce the risk of another cardiac arrest. He has been assessed and placed on the heart transplant recipient list due to the severity of his condition.

It will be many months before Joel will be able to work as his healing journey has so many unknowns.

Joel and his beautiful partner, Maggie, need the help of their community from near and far.

Joel and Maggie have a gorgeous 15 month old son, Colt, and are expecting the arrival of their second baby in March. Maggie cannot travel so late in her pregnancy so she and Colt are in Tasmania while Joel is in intensive care in Victoria. It is an incredibly traumatic and stressful situation.

With Maggie awaiting labour and Joel in the hospital, they are without income.

Any contribution you can make will help alleviate the stress of paying their mortgage and bills over the coming months. This will allow Joel to focus on healing and to regain his strength.

Joel‘s fight to live is incredible. Even a heart functioning at 10% could not stop his determination to be here to raise Colt and his new baby with Maggie.

Please help them through this incredibly scary and challenging time.