Former Super League Man of Steel Adrian Vowles is recovering after undergoing open heart surgery on a problem that had gone undetected throughout his whole playing career.
Vowles was named Super League’s best player in 1999 after a stellar season for Castleford. He is still regarded as one of the club’s finest overseas imports, making over 150 appearances for the Tigers.
He would also star in the NRL for the likes of North Queensland Cowboys and represent Queensland at State of Origin level – but now, he has revealed a major health scare.
Speaking to Wide World of Sports, the former Scotland international admitted he had been born with a problem concerning one of the valves in his heart, something he did not know until recently.
That left him needing full open heart surgery to correct the issue, something Vowles admitted was the ‘hardest hurdle’ of his life which also led to complications after surgery.
“I was born with a faulty valve in my heart – I knew nothing about it until recently when I started to feel poorly and doctors found the problem and I underwent a bypass,” Vowles admitted.
“It was the hardest hurdle I have had and I had some pretty dark days in hospital. Going from training most days to being flat on your back full of drugs, plus getting a clot in my calf and then into my lung must have made my body wonder what I was doing to it.
“I had never been fitter or stronger than I have this year post football but I knew something wasn’t right and thankfully got it checked.”
Fortunately, Vowles revealed he had now left hospital in time for Christmas and was on the mend.
He added: “A long recovery but so glad to be home again in my own house and bed. Have turned back time with Mum looking after me again.”
