Rob Rises to the challenge

The 44-year-old knew something wasn't right after suffering weeks of chest pain but mistakenly thought it was the after-effects of COVID, having caught it weeks before.

Mr Hanna is the owner of Mr Inflatables, a business specialising in custom fun and interactive designs, the first of its kind in the region.

"A few days after the pain in my chest intensified, I went to the emergency department, and that's where they told me I had a heart attack," he said. "I couldn't believe it; I thought it was nuts. I'm super fit and healthy."

Mr Hanna, wife Jody and two children, Joseph and Ronan, moved to Wodonga from Melbourne in 2019.

Their youngest son, Joseph, has severe, low-functioning autism.

"We moved to Wodonga to get support for Joey. We were both at a point where we couldn't support him anymore and felt like giving up as parents," he said.

Mr Hanna had always had a creative flair, but in 2008 never thought he would open a successful business with just $1000 to his name.

"We had no money. We were scrounging for change to get milk and bread, and my wife stayed home with the young kids, and we both didn't work. I said, 'honey, I'm going to go for it', and I did," he said.

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"I remember so profoundly the first time we drove past this blow-up air dancer ... it was so silly and it stuck with me."

The family man has since become an advocate for children on the autism spectrum and his business takes him across the country.

"I learnt the value of hard work at an early age, and I'm not a man to give up, but I've suffered, I've battled depression, and as Joey got older, trying to juggle a work/life balance has been impossible," he said.

"I pushed and pushed for there to be change for my family, and I'm slowly getting there, but first things first, my health, my family need me.

"My wife and eldest son have been a continuous source of encouragement.

"Jody does so much for our family, and Ronan adores his younger sibling."

Joseph is now 15, and the family has received the help they need from a small community-led disability service.

"I am fortunate and pretty chuffed with what we've achieved," Mr Hanna said.

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