His partner Mireka van Looy said he lay in a coma in an intensive care unit for 10 days.
"The prognosis was pretty bad; they said the likelihood of surviving was very slim."
There was a strong chance he would not be able to walk or talk again, and be a "vegetable" for the rest of his life, Miss van Looy said.
Mr Abbott thanked his partner Mireka, saying she was wonderful and the amount of help she gave him was "unreal".
After finishing six months of rehabilitation Mr Abbott found it difficult to maintain what movement he had gained.
In 2016, Mr Abbott and Miss van Looy heard "through the grapevine" about Nick Chisholm and his Iron Warriors training programme run from Skyfit24 gym in Dunedin.
Mr Abbott now trains about three times a week, including weights, cross-training, cycling and stretching.
He can walk without a wheelchair and his mental health has improved.
"It’s hard work, but interacting and communicating helps working out," he said.
The emotional and mental support of the other Iron Warriors was as important as the physical workouts, he said.
Mr Chisholm, who has locked-in syndrome, said he was impressed by Mr Abbott’s commitment, aggression, perseverance and passion for Iron Warriors.
"He used to hate the gym, now he loves it. [He] comes three to four times a week."
It was important people who had a stroke were able to take back control of their own life and make decisions for themselves, Mr Chisholm said.
Miss van Looy and Mr Abbott said Skyfit24 owners Phil and Ange Chaney were amazing.
"They are so supportive and encouraging, and provide a great gym for us to work in."
