03/05/2025
The following post is written by Lexie Schmitz, daughter of Jason, Heartwood's founder and owner.
This past Saturday, I celebrated my 25th birthday—and my 23rd year at Heartwood. Yes, you read that right. My dad founded Heartwood in 2002 when I was just two years old, and I often joke that I grew up in an assisted living home. I absolutely loved it. My best friends were always 80+ years older than me.
Growing up, I learned that age is just a number—at the end of the day, you're only as old as you feel. My parents instilled in me the values of integrity and dignity, and above all, to always see the person beyond their disease. They may not remember the days, but they will always remember how we made them feel.
At 16, I started working at Heartwood as a caregiver. Eventually, I followed in my dad’s footsteps, becoming a nurse after graduating from UW-Oshkosh in 2022. Since then, I’ve worked alongside my parents in management to ensure Heartwood remains the warm, quality home our residents deserve. We take immense pride in caring for our residents the way we’d want our own parents to be treated.
Receiving heartfelt gratitude from our residents and their families always reaffirms why we do what we do. Lois’s note says it best:
"Thank you for making it feel like my home and for being so kind to me and all. I really do feel like I’m home."
There is no greater compliment. 💙
