Three decades ago, Rock Valley Physical Therapy’s Stacey Hampton stood at the intersection of make or break in her working career.
Ever-caring and the owner of a warm heart and a 10,000-watt smile, Hampton had left the floral business and found a home at Muscatine Physical Therapy, serving as a technician and front office fill-in.
She loved the people she worked with and the patients she assisted.
But…
In life there always seems to be a “but.’’ But Hampton wanted more.
So, at age 34, Hampton, an energetic dynamo, sought a new path. She returned to college and earned her Physical Therapy Assistant’s degree.
Now, after 29 years and on her birthday (March 22), Hampton will give way to a retirement celebration at Rock Valley’s Muscatine, Iowa-based Cedarwood Clinic, then set sail on another chapter in a life filled with give-back moments.
“I will miss the camaraderie, especially here at Cedarwood,’’ Hampton said when asked about retirement. “We pride ourselves on being a tight-knit family. When we circle the wagons for whatever reason that pops up, it is amazing. It is the best thing about this place and these people.’’
Post-March 22, Hampton has a trip to the tropics planned. There is also a tour of our nation’s national parks in the offing and her continuing the Pilates class she teaches.
Retirement will also allow Hampton to spend more “build’ time with the “Sleep in Heavenly Peace’ group she is active with, a collection of wonderful souls dedicated to making sure children in every community have their own bed.
“I lost my best friend in January (2024) to pancreatic cancer, and that has pushed me to want to volunteer to assist those in hospice care,’’ Hampton added. “There is a lot to do, but making sure I’m there for SHP builds and giving back through hospice is important to me.’’
Mentors play a huge role in the personal and professional development of those they guide. By being her kind, compassionate, thorough, and dedicated self, Hampton has had a wonderful impact on the lives and careers of many.
Because of Hampton, one Rock Valley PTA chose a career dedicated to “Making Better Lives.’’
“I shadowed her for a day (in high school) and instantly knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,’’ said Rock Valley’s Ashley Ravenscraft, PTA.
Hampton’s approach, her love of the profession, her care for her patients and the way she treats those around her, has remained a constant through the years.
“Stacey loves her job, and it shows,’’ Ravenscraft said. “It was not long after high school that I found myself back with her, this time she was my (college) clinical instructor. Luckily, she passed me and before I knew it, I had graduated and started working at Muscatine Physical Therapy (now Rock Valley Physical Therapy) with her as my co-worker. I have worked with her for just shy of 13 years. She is one of a kind. She has been a wonderful peer, an amazing mentor and will be deeply missed by her workmates and her patients.’’
Hampton’s patient-first mantra has always been her calling card.
“I met Stacey after a major injury doing martial arts,’’ said Muscatine, Iowa’s Jamie Cavazos. “I had never had a major injury like that and felt defeated as I was preparing for a black belt examination that was supposed to happen in a few months. Obviously, that was not going to happen, and I had a long road ahead of me.
“The injury to my (right) knee was described to me as a complex tear of the posterior horn meniscus, torn ACL, severe bone bruising, and partially dislocated knee,’’ Cavazos added, noting that Hampton – if their paths crossed in public – would make sure he was following the get-better plan outside of treatment. “I appreciated her drive to help me recover. Her mix of compassion, humor, firmness to call me out when I needed it, were amazing.’’
The paths of Hampton and Cavazos would cross again in 2023, when his left knee failed.
“I shredded the retinaculum tissue, tore the patella tendon from the bone, and dislocated the kneecap,’’ Cavazos said. “And Stacey was back at it again with me. Stacey has been great to work with. Her retirement is well deserved.’’
Encouraging others has always been a strong point for Hampton.
“Stacey has treated me for various injuries and surgeries since 2018,’’ said Muscatine’s Marci Clark. “Working with her is always a joy. Her positive, upbeat, and caring personality helped me get through some of my hardest times. She is a source of constant encouragement and always makes me feel understood. She keeps my goals and limitations top of mind and helps me work through my frustrations. I always feel energized after a PT session with her.’’
Hampton, like us all, cannot see into the future but is ready to peek behind the curtain.
“Sure it will be strange waking up at 4:30 or 5 a.m. and not having anywhere to go,’’ she said with a grin. “What will happen? We will see. I have not done it in 30 years. Part of me, though, cannot wait to see what that looks and feels like.’’
Whatever the view might be, it will be much-earned and much-deserved.
Festivities honoring Hampton and her many years of dedicated service will take place on March 22 from 11:30 A.M.-1:30 P.M. at 2109 Cedarwood Drive, Muscatine, Iowa. Community members and clinic friends are invited to help us celebrate.
By: Johnny Marx, Rock Valley Storyteller