“At first you couldn’t tell if I would survive”

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For a long time it was unclear whether Fredy Fässler (64) would ever return to office. He too could only hope. The district president of the canton of St. Gallen had a hard fall last October and was hospitalized for several weeks, after which he went into rehabilitation. But he fought back. The SP politician has been allowed to chair government meetings again since the beginning of May. In his office in downtown St. Gallen, he received Blick for a very personal interview.

Blick: Mr. Fässler, what was your first official act when you returned to the office after a mandatory break of almost six months? First check the hundreds of unread emails?
Fredy Fassler: I started that at home. Before that I occasionally went to the office, cleaned up a bit and studied government affairs. But I try to be careful. The neurologist strongly advised me not to climb too steeply. I want to stick to that. I don’t have to go to every dog ​​hole.

How were you received when you returned?
Of course, not all of the 2,000 people who work with me had room in my office. But a bunch of flowers awaited me. Even during my absence I had received a lot of mail, flowers and other gifts – not only from the employees, but also from people from all over Switzerland whom I don’t even know personally. That touched me and I think it helped my healing process a lot. My employees actually longed for the boss to be there! I could have imagined it differently.

You wanted to wait with a job interview until you’re sure you’re really fit again. How are you today?
I feel fine. Doctors tested all my brain functions for three hours. The result: everything you should be able to do, I can do too. In the beginning, during the withdrawal treatment, I still respected climbing stairs and walking in general. But now I feel safe again. I only have hearing loss in my left ear.

You fell at the beginning of October and suffered a serious traumatic brain injury. Do you remember what exactly happened?
It was October 6, fall break. I lay down for half an hour in the afternoon. From the moment I got out of bed I have no memory. The emergency doctors said there was really only one explanation: I must have passed out and fell with all my strength on the back of my head. I suffered a basilar skull fracture.

who found you
Fortunately, my wife was in the next room and heard the tschädärä. She thought a cupboard had fallen over. Then she saw me lying on the floor. I gasped, blood spurting from my left ear. It looked very menacing. When I was hospitalized, there was no telling if I would survive. Fortunately, my condition improved quickly after that.

When did you regain consciousness?
My wife says I got back quickly – even before the ambulance came. But I myself have no memory of the overturning and the ride to the hospital. I can’t even remember the time in the hospital. Only in rehab in Walzenhausen, about five weeks later, does the memory start again.

what was the diagnosis
To this day I don’t know why I lost consciousness. I was tested for everything that could be considered – the doctors found nothing.

Does this uncertainty worry you?
Yes, I would like to know. On the one hand, because it could happen again – even if the probability is not very high. But mainly because it is currently unclear whether it could be a relatively rare hereditary disease. Tests are still underway.

Did you always think you could come back to the office?
It was my goal from the start. During rehabilitation, I became more aware than ever of the crucial importance of being a member of the government council to me. The possibility that I may not be able to return has really bothered me. There were people who said that I should stay at home for two years. Fortunately, the healing process went much faster than expected afterwards.

But you recently announced that you will not run in the elections next spring. What role did the accident play in this?
It was certainly a factor. The accident forced me to solve the problem a little earlier than I had planned. I’ve come to the conclusion that resigning is probably the most sensible thing to do.

There is a risk that the SP will have to give up one of the two government seats due to your resignation. That after the loss of one of the two seats in the St. Gallic Council of States to the SVP. Don’t you care?
No not at all. It’s true: it’s not certain that we can hold the chair. But the SP has to fight for representation in the government in most cantons. Of course I had contact with the party. I’m glad she didn’t pressure me in that regard.

When you step down next year, you will have completed 12 years in the governing council. What will you miss the most?
I’ll remember that when the time comes. One thing is certain: the office is fascinating and it is an absolute privilege to work here. I used to be a lawyer and the choice made it possible for me to change careers in the middle of my life.

What are you definitely not going to miss?
There is relatively little there. But I can do without the insults I occasionally receive by email.

Do you already have an idea of ​​what you will do after retirement?
I’ve already had questions from law firms wanting to have me there. Plus, heavily indebted clubs sometimes tend to bring in retired government councilors… But maybe I’ll start traveling with my wife or cycling more. In any case, I have made a decision: I will not say yes to anything before May 2024.

Source:Blick