For some, a single career defines a lifetime. For others, like Tony Hansen, owner of Therapy on the Gulf, life unfolded as a series of chapters—each one inspiring as the last. From serving as a medic during the Vietnam War to creating giant sculptures and installing a roof on the Taoyuan International Airport, teaching scuba diving, and ultimately becoming a healer through massage therapy, Hansen’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and an unshakable commitment to helping others.

A Military Family Legacy

Raised in a military family—his father, mother, and brother all served—Hansen joined the Army in the mid-1960s. Though he opposed killing, he chose to serve as a medic in Vietnam, believing he could save lives rather than take them. His mother, a wartime spy, had inspired in him both courage and compassion.

Initially planning to attend medical school, he postponed his studies and instead found himself caring for more than a hundred soldiers in his company. “I was the doctor for 105 guys,” he recalls. “Mostly, it was about keeping them alive long enough to reach the field hospitals,” says Hansen. “The war left deep scars. Only five of the men in my company returned home. By the time I was discharged, spending a lifetime as a doctor in hospitals was no longer an option.” 

Finding Healing Through Art

Stationed for a time at Walter Reed in Washington, D.C., Hansen discovered joy in painting, winning art contests and recognizing his creative calling. After the military, he pursued degrees in fine arts, earning an MFA and channeling his talents into monumental sculptures. One of his most famous creations—a mushroom-shaped house—was featured in Woody Allen’s film Sleeper.

What began as sculpture soon evolved into architecture and construction. “I ran a company that took me overseas for 25 years, blending art with engineering and learning along the way. In China, he not only installed the roof on a major Chinese airport, he managed to study Chinese Traditional Medicine along with several different therapies; in Africa and Europe, he also absorbed different healing philosophies.

A Journey Through Careers

Hansen’s adventures spanned continents and careers: from working with Navy SEALs in Guantanamo Bay as a scuba instructor, to serving as an interior design coordinator in Naples, Florida. Each chapter reflected a fusion of creativity, resilience, and curiosity.

Then, a serious car accident in the 1990s shifted his path once again. Facing surgery for a neck injury, he turned instead to fascia release therapy—and healed without going under the knife. Inspired, he returned to his roots of helping people heal, this time through touch therapies such as massage, myofascial release, and energy healing.

A Calling to Help Others

At 55, he became the oldest student in massage school, but his life experience and passion gave him an advantage. “I liked the idea of helping people get out of pain,” he says. “There are many ways to help people—but natural healing felt right to me.”

What began with just 50 clients grew over 25 years into a thriving practice serving thousands. Today, his methods draw from a lifetime of study—Western medicine, Eastern healing traditions, and personal experience.

Looking Toward St. Martin

Now, at 80, Hansen reflects on his remarkable journey with a mix of gratitude and determination. With 18 grandchildren, three children, and a lifetime of stories behind him, Hansen is considering what his next career will be. He’s slowing down—but not stopping.

Hansen plans on spending several months in St. Martin during the upcoming season. One of his favorite islands from his scuba diving days, he hopes to return to painting and perhaps practice healing part-time. “I can’t imagine not working,” he says. “I always need to be creating, building, or helping.”

The Art of Living Fully

For Hansen, age is merely a number that requires a different mindset. Weekly therapy, healthy living, and a deep belief in natural healing keep him vibrant. Cancer, which he beat 15 years ago through food-based healing, only strengthened his conviction that lifestyle is medicine.

“I don’t feel 80,” he says with a smile. “I’ve never been one to just sit still. Life keeps moving, and so do I.”

From Vietnam to the beaches of the Caribbean, his life story is proof that reinvention is always possible—and that healing, in all its forms, is both an art and a calling.

Therapy on the Gulf is located at 824 Anchor Rode Dr., in Naples. For more information call 239-262-8722. Visit TopOfNaples.com.