Fifty-six-year-old Steve Capps is one of life’s true gems, kind, caring, a do-anything-to-help-those-in-need kind of fella.
Ditto for his longtime bride, Shelly.
A 20-minute sit down with Steve and Shelly will leave you vim and vigor-filled, excited about life’s next chapter, and knowing both are not afraid of the bumps and lumps – no matter the size – that sometimes fill life’s road.
Steve Capps suffered a near-debilitating stroke – on birthday No. 56 – in October of 2024. It was his second stroke in six years.
Six-plus-months post-2024 episode – Steve Capps has regained strength and mobility — though he says his grip strength in his left hand is not where he wants it to be. He can drive, take the family dog, Cali, on its nightly walk, and there is hope for the retired city of Geneseo, Ill., employee, to assist a friend on his farm this summer.
Steve Capps’ comeback, tremendous in so many ways, is a combination of patient dedication, the foresight and determination of an ever-upbeat wife, and the amazing work of Rock Valley Physical Therapy’s Joshua “Josh’’ Holeman, PT, DPT, and Joey McEachern, PT, DPT, OCS, CMT.
It must also be noted, because of the work by those mentioned above and Rock Valley’s Chad Humphrey, PT, MPT, OCS, Clinic Manager (43rd Ave. Moline), Steve and Shelly Capps, just two months after his stroke, shared a Hawaiian cruise together.
A conquered challenge of monster proportions.
“None of this – the strides I have made and especially going on the cruise – does not happen without Joey and Josh,’’ Steve Capps said. “The work they did to help me achieve a goal was nothing short of amazing. But feeling great and doing things no one thought I would be doing, is a combination of Shelly looking out for me and calling Chad, and Josh and Joey seeing it through to today. I still have work to do to get better, stronger and improve on my strength and balance, but I am so fortunate to be surrounded by some amazing people.’’
On Oct. 7, 2024, the always-on-the-go Steve Capps collapsed on his bed, complaining of weakness and shortness of breath.
“I was flopping like a fish,’’ he said of the stroke taking place inside his Cambridge, Il., home. “My left side was drooping. Shelly noticed this and called an ambulance. They took me to Geneseo and then transported me to Peoria, Illinois (OSF) for specialized care.’’
Upon release, there would be a stop at another medical facility prior to Rock Valley. It proved not to be the right fit for Steve Capps to get better. With frustration mounting, Shelly Capps, a longtime school principal in Cambridge, Il., placed a call to Humphrey, a trusted ally and dear friend.
The call would change the Capps’ lives.
“All the years we have known Chad, he has always been there for us,’’ Shelly Capps said. “He is one of my favorites. He said it wasn’t his specialty, but he had two guys at Rock Valley that were amazing with “neuro,’’ and would provide us with the help we needed. All three – Chad, Josh, and Joey – just sat with us that first day and listened to what Steve had to say about everything. They asked some amazing questions, evaluated where to begin and things got better in a hurry.’’
Boy, did they.
Holeman and McEachern devised a therapy plan that would allow Steve Capps to return to everyday life.
“Part of that plan was – and it only took them two sessions – to relieve the severe back pain Steve was having,’’ Shelly Capps said. “His back was killing him and those two took care of that issue in just two sessions. Before Rock Valley no one would address the pain in his back.
“Calling Chad and telling him to put me/us down (on the schedule) was the best call we ever made,’’ Shelly Capps added. “They listened and they heard what we said, which did not happen elsewhere. The key was how hard they worked to relieve Steve of his back pain. It was killing him and keeping him from doing anything remotely positive toward getting better.’’
To professionally get his feet wet working with the Capps and alongside McEachern, was the perfect step for Holeman, now full-time with Rock Valley.
“I was a student at the 43rd clinic with Joey from Sept. 30-to-Dec. 6 (2024),’’ said Holeman. “During this time, Steve and his wife, Shelly, had reached out to Chad about having him come in for therapy to progress his balance and his strength as these were some major limitations of his at the time. To further complicate things, Steve was battling some severe back pain that impacted his ability to progress his mobility. With Joey’s guidance, we were able to appropriately navigate the back pain and after addressing this for a couple of visits it was alleviated.’’
Soon Holeman and McEachern went to the next level, working to give Capps the opportunity to carry out the long-awaited trip, less than two months in the offing.
This, Shelly Capps said, is where Holeman and McEachern’s creativity and hard work shined even brighter than their work with Steve Capps’ back.
The two therapists would create beneficial strength and balance exercise plans that would apply to everyday life for Steve Capps. They brought to life step and stair challenges that would come in handy on their cruise and allow him to navigate airline-related challenges.
The two addressed – with a bevy of hands-on exercises – rolling a suitcase to and from an airport to a hotel and aboard a ship. They prepared Steve Capps for a large amount of walking to see all the sights they were planning to get to. McEachern and Holeman even taught Steve Capps how to balance while removing his shoes as he ventured through the many TSA checks that awaited him.
All that stood before him was a welcome challenge, Steve Capps said. He wanted desperately to return to life as he knew it.
“The trip would never happen if not for Josh and Joey,’’ Steve Capps said with a smile. “They knew what they were doing, they made it fun, but they also challenged me with exercises that made me stronger and improved my balance. Even today, with the strides I have made – and I know there is work to do – Joey is always finding new ways to better my life. He and Josh have made such a difference in my life. I don’t know where I would be without them. I know for sure there is no trip and there is no way I am doing the things I’m doing today.’’
Holeman and McEachern cannot say enough wonderful things about working with Steve and Shelly Capps.
“Shelly is always there for Steve,’’ McEachern said. “A great advocate for him. And Steve has embraced wanting to get better and achieve his goals. Every challenge we have placed before him he has accepted. He is motivated, a hard worker and just someone we love being around.’’
For Holeman, in the infant stages of his career, working with Steve Capps has been rewarding on countless fronts.
“This was a very special experience for me as it has further developed my interest in working with neurological conditions, such as stroke,’’ said Holeman. “Steve has progressed well and no longer requires the use of assistive devices like he once depended on. Now that I am a clinician myself, it is meaningful to see him doing so well. Joey was gone for a week on vacation, and I had the opportunity to work with Steve again. It was full circle, and he is always such a joy to work with.’’
This challenge is proof Holeman found his life’s calling.
“Impact is the term that frequently comes to mind when I think about why I wanted to enter the field of PT,’’ Holeman said. “I received a text message from Chad in December and it was a message he forwarded to me and Joey from Shelly.”
“It was an image of Steve smiling in Hawaii, and a message saying, “Steve has walked EVERY SINGLE STEP TODAY. EVERY STEP,” added Holeman. “Seeing the joy in Steve as he has progressed further instills how much of an impact we can have on people’s lives. This entire experience for me falls well within the values of Rock Valley and how we can make better lives. I helped provide guidance for Steve. But he did all the work, and because of this he is doing better and better every day.’’
By: Johnny Marx, Rock Valley Storyteller