"It is completely unexpected. He never had any medical conditions.
"He was training every day, not drinking alcohol. He was in the best shape of his life."
Fowler and his wife Amanda had been in Thailand on a 10-day holiday to celebrate their two-year wedding anniversary, Taurua said. They were due to arrive home today.
Taurua and his wife Quanita had set up a Givealittle page to support Fowler's wife Amanda, their two-year-old son and two older step sons, and the wider family.
Amanda was still in Phuket, and family had gone over to join her, Taurua said.
"We just want to be able to help them in any way we can."
Fowler grew up on the Hibiscus Coast and went to Long Bay College, Taurua said.
He had been involved in crossfit for about six or seven years, joining the CrossFit Hibiscus team as a coach two years ago.
"The cross-fit community here is absolutely upside down," Taurua said.
"We cancelled classes last night but the whole gym turned up, we said a few prayers, and just remembered him.
"I had known him five years, and worked with him every day.
"As a trainer he was helping people out every day.
"He was a big, gentle giant. That is what everyone would say. And he had a real clown sense of humour, but would help out anyone in the world."
He loved spending time with his two-year-old son, and had been a stay-at-home dad since he was two-months-old.
"You don't see that often. He would take his baby boy everywhere."
