And now the 58-year-old’s powers of recovery are being tested in the most severe circumstances imaginable.
The Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medallist, has been on a slow and winding road to recovery in Christchurch Hospital after defying a series of heart attacks.
Fowler was taking a load of rubbish to Rolleston’s Pines Resource Recovery Park on February 25 when he experienced the first life-threatening medical episode.
Fortunately, Fowler had the presence of mind to pull his van and trailer over outside West Rolleston Primary School before losing consciousness.
Parking on the yellow lines piqued the interest of teachers and parents as children headed home for the day.
Steph Dawson saw Fowler slumped at the wheel, then two other parents Cini Kariankal and Meghan Davies, who are both nurses, rendered assistance before paramedics arrived.
Kariankal administered CPR; Davies then used a defibrillator retrieved by teacher Leona Whittington.
“He was purple then and they pulled him out. His heart stopped for about eight minutes,” Fowler’s younger brother David told The Star.
Fowler was rushed to hospital, where he was placed in an induced coma for about 10 days.
After admission he suffered another five heart attacks, then a lung infection complicated his recovery. He was only able to eat without the assistance of a tube for the first time on Tuesday night.
“We were all worried for a while and thought: ‘God maybe it’s his time to die. We don’t want him to come out with a brain injury’,” David Fowler said.
“I’m feeling good, I’ve been out for walks,” Fowler told The Star.
“I had fish with vegetables and jelly and ice cream (for dinner Tuesday), the first meal I’ve had for 20 days.”
“He’s come through amazingly well,” added David, who described his brother’s survival as a miracle.
“Last Wednesday I went to see him with a couple of friends who hadn’t seen Brian for eight years.
“He was sitting in the chair but his head was on the side and he couldn’t really speak properly.
“They burst into tears but a day later Craig (former New Zealand team-mate Craig Adair) came with me and he could talk. It’s an amazing recovery.”
Fowler, who had no history of heart issues, has no recollection of the incident, though mercifully his long-term memory is intact.
Ironically he had recently visited his GP and for a trouble-free check-up.
“It was very unexpected. I’d been to the doctor a week and a half before and they gave me a clean bill of health. They were just waiting for bloods and stuff to come back.”
“If I’d got round the corner and halfway to the dump there’s nothing in-between there.”
Fowler believed his fitness – he still cycles around 300km a week – also enabled him to cheat death.
“If I hadn’t been as fit, I probably wouldn’t be here. The oxygen levels kept me going brain-wise,” he said.
His boys and other family members have already visited West Rolleston Primary School to express gratitude to those who saved their loved ones life.
Fowler, who won gold in the road team time trial and silver in the road race at Auckland in 1990, the third of his four Commonwealth Games, will also return to the school when he is able to give thanks.
The family has made a donation towards the school’s under construction BMX track and the plan is for Fowler to open it and ride the opening lap.
What better way to get back on the bike?
