Chloe Fisher is a strong woman keeping Hunter Myers’ legacy alive

by Victoria Howard

Losing someone you love isn’t just heartbreaking; it reshapes your entire world. Your life becomes unrecognizable, like a jigsaw puzzle with too many pieces that are missing. A part of you is gone and this can have a significant lasting impact on many areas of your life. It’s not easy, but unfortunately, it’s one of the things in life that we have no control over.

But when a young person dies, it’s unbearable. You may ask, “Why did it have to happen? Was there something I could have done,” and “Why did someone so young, who had their whole life ahead of them, have to die?” The passing of a loved one is a profound and universal experience, yet the breadth of its impact is often underestimated.

Death affects people differently. The psychological effects of the death of a loved one can manifest in various ways, including sadness, depression and guilt.

But when a young person passed away who was about to marry his sweetheart and mother of his child, it was especially devastating. The young woman and mother was Chloe Fisher, fiancée to harness driver Hunter Myers.

On March 19, in race 11 at The Meadows in Washington, PA, a horrific accident occurred. When the lead horse made a sudden break it caused a chain-reaction collision that involved five horses. Sadly, Myers, a 27-year-old prominent harness driver, was thrown from his sulky and succumbed to his injuries, leaving behind a fiancée and 7-month-old son.

Immediately the entire harness family came together to support Fisher and the family the best that they could. Horsemen threw fundraisers, made tee-shirts and bracelets to sell, Prolific Equine offered five breeding’s with 100 per cent of the stud fees going directly to the Myers family, and trainer Ron Burke and partner Mark Weaver also donated several breedings.

Although this generous outpouring could not bring the funny, loving, advocate back, he will always be a star to his family, friends, and fans, and it is through their love that Myers’ legacy will live on.

Fisher was born in Akron, OH, and brought up around horses because her father, Mike Dowdall, was a harness horse trainer.

“My dad would take me to the barn with him where he trained his standardbred horses,” Fisher said. “I began grooming for him and learned the ins and the outs from him. When dad got out of the business, I got a job working for trainer Chris Lems and Jordan Hope and stayed there a long time until I became pregnant with my son. I also worked for Sam and Jodi Schillaci. After I gave birth my fiancé Hunter wanted me to stay at home with our son, Hayden.”

Fisher met Myers at Scioto Downs in 2016 while she was there racing with her dad.

“Hunter and I had an instant connection, and it was the right person but the wrong time,” she said. “We kept in touch with each other, but there was no romance for I told him, he had to grow up before I would date him.

“Anyone who knew Hunter would understand this because he was always joking around and living life to its fullest. Everyone who met Hunter loved him for he was the most caring and loving person and absolutely loved what he did [driving horses].”

In 2022, Fisher and Myers made it official.

“At the time I was living in a condo and Hunter had just purchased a home 10 minutes away,” Fisher said. “We were inseparable. The horsemen would laugh for when I would be paddocking for someone, Hunter would follow me like a lost puppy dog.

“I’ll always remember the time before we started dating when I was racing, and it was raining really hard, and I had to ship my horse back home. Hunter made me wait until he was done racing horses so he could drive the truck and trailer for me. He was so sweet and thoughtful. That was Hunter.

“His love for me was never questioned and he never stopped showing it. Even when we weren’t together, we always made our way back to one another. I guess that’s what they mean when they say, ‘soulmates.’ Yep, he was mine!”

Fisher and Myers’ son Hayden completed their family, and according to Fisher, Myers was an amazing dad.

“He absolutely loved being a dad and couldn’t wait to get home to play with Hayden,” she said. “The short time they were blessed to be together was priceless. You often hear women complain that their husbands don’t help out — that wasn’t the case with us.

“Although Hunter wasn’t home a lot due to his job, whenever he was, he was a great help with Hayden. I thank God every day that the two of them developed a strong bond, even in that short time.”

According to Fisher, although Myers may have hoped his son would follow in his footsteps and be a driver, he had a loftier goal for him.

“Hayden loves horses and enjoys going to the barn, but Hunter always said he didn’t think our sport would be around when Hayden got older and that he wanted our son to go to college,” Fisher said. “Hopefully, his wish will come true.”

Fisher was driving home with Hayden and the family dogs, when she found out about Myers’ accident.

“I got a text from someone saying there was a horrible race accident and they hoped Hunter was okay,” she said. “Then I got a phone call from a trainer’s wife who I didn’t talk to a lot at the time, telling me that Hunter was being life flighted, and I needed to get to the hospital in Pittsburgh ASAP. I got a feeling in my stomach that this was not good, and my life was over. I called someone to watch Hayden and my father rushed over to drive me to the hospital.”

Fisher said she is so thankful for the horsemen from racetracks all over the nation that pulled together to support her and her son.

“There is not one person in particular, but everyone who donated, put together fundraisers, and helped us,” she said. “I want to thank all the racetracks where Hunter never got a chance to race, and the people he didn’t know who helped out. The harness racing community might be cruel at times, but they always come together when someone from the harness racing family is in need.

“My parents have also been a huge help helping with Hayden and getting me through the saddest and most difficult time in my life.”

At the time of Myers’ passing, he co-owned a filly with trainer Vernon Beachy.

“The Beachys are wonderful people and after Hunter died, they graciously gave their share to me and Hayden, so my son and I are now the proud owners,” Fisher said.

When asked how she copes with the loss, Fisher said, “Besides devoting my life to our son, who is growing up to be his daddy’s clone, both physically and spiritually, I haven’t found the ‘right’ ways, if there are any, but I try to stay positive and keep busy. I have Hayden and the family dogs to care for, and although they all miss their daddy so much, I have to keep my head up and carry on.

“Hayden is on the move now, and he keeps me really busy chasing him around. We have a nice sized house and yard with two dogs, and I have amazing family and friends who keep me going.

“But there isn’t a minute that I don’t think about and miss Hunter. I don’t know why this happened, but I have to have faith that one day we will be reunited. But in the meantime, I must keep Hunter’s legacy going for all those who knew and loved him.”