Matthew S Hakes

Dr. Hakes graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1994, receiving his DC the same year he became a father for the first time. Palmer is both the first and the largest college of chiropractic in the world. Fresh out of college, he joined a local practice after moving back to Cincinnati from Davenport, IA. Matt was ambitious and eager to support his family and community; it didn’t take long for him to decide he would pursue self-employment by opening his own practice. He founded American Family Chiropractic on November 17th, 1995, just a year before he would become a father for the second time. Dr. Hakes planted his flag in Mason, Ohio, and got to work on making it thrive in the best way he knew how: through hard work and good values. Similar to many in his profession, Matt viewed medicine and life through a holistic lens. He aimed not only to heal patients physically but also to lift their spirits through words of kindness and compassion. Dr. Hakes was a family man through and through and extended that same love, care, and compassion to his patients. Whether it was in room 1 or helping his patients outside the office, he was always there to offer a helping hand in any way he could. Dr. Hakes lived a multifaceted life. In addition to owning and operating his own practice, Matt, alongside his wife, raised three sons. Everyone who knew him knew he only worked three and a half days a week. Why? He was just as passionate in his personal life as he was in his professional life. He understood that life is short, and he was determined not to waste it. Matt loved spending time outdoors, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, particularly somewhere with his toes in the sand (or the mud). If he couldn’t make it to the beach, you could find him in the woods. He loved hunting, camping, and boating, and he made time for family whenever he could. It is our sincere hope that Dr. Hakes be remembered in this way: as a lover of life, friends, and family—a man who was more concerned with building a life than making a living.

This bench should serve as a permanent reminder of what true hard work and passion can accomplish: a nod to the memory of a man who made such a lasting and intangible impact on the lives of those within the community he called home that it deserves to have physical representation.