Ruby Pearson

The outdoors had always been at the centre of Ruby’s life. Career, hobbies, friendships - everything was built around movement, nature, and adventure. But that all changed after a climbing accident in a quarry. Falling from the top of the crag, she struck a tree on the way down which likely saved her life, but left her in ICU with a burst spinal fracture.

In an instant, everything shifted. From feeling young, strong, and capable, Ruby was suddenly bedbound under fluorescent hospital lights, unable to move. With no one close who had experienced anything similar, the loneliness was overwhelming.

That was when Ruby came across Ed’s story. Seeing how Ed and Lois had built something meaningful out of trauma stirred something within her. Ed’s persistence to push the limits of his recovery sparked a fight at a time when Ruby felt powerless. Discovering M2M offered a glimmer of hope, made even more real when, shortly after applying to the programme, she came across a three-page article about Ed in a Red Bulletin magazine. It felt like a sign.

Since becoming part of M2M, Ruby has found a remarkable community: open, compassionate, supportive, and refreshingly free of judgement (with plenty of banter along the way). It’s a space where people truly understand the grit it takes to push through setbacks, injury, and pain.

Now, Ruby is rebuilding confidence and rediscovering the creativity she thought had been lost. Most importantly, she is realising that identity runs far deeper than just what the body can do - it lies in connection, purpose, and resilience.