Each step on Wednesday represents gratitude for Davenport Mayor Bill Gluba.
"This is the guy that saved me right here," he gestured. "Best in the world."
It's an emotional reunion with the medical team at University Hospitals in Iowa City.
"Got you back on your feet," said Nurse Practitioner Brian Wayson.
The four-term mayor credits them with saving his life.
"They brought me back from the brink," he said. "And for that, I will forever be grateful."
July 23 began like most days for Mayor Gluba.
But just hours after dedicating an Army Recruiting Center, he started a nearly two-month long medical ordeal.
"It shut me down and almost ended me," he said.
While there's no definite answer, doctors suspect that a reaction to antibiotics for bug bites landed him in intensive care for more than three weeks.
He even received last rites at one point.
"It was kind of touch-and-go for a little bit," recalled Wayson.
Inside the Respiratory Specialty Care Unit, Wayson is part of the team that guided Gluba through treatment and physical therapy.
"He was really a sick man for many, many days," Wayson said. "And one day, he just kind of turned the corner."
Faith, friends and science helped Gluba, 72, to pull through.
"God's going to do whatever he wants to do," he said. "Guess he wants me to stick around a while. That's the way I see it."
During Wednesday's handshakes and hugs, he hints at big plans for Davenport.
But it will take some time to recover.
"It's going to take a while for him to get back to speed," Wayson said. "But I think his full-speed is pretty impressive compared to most people."
No word on Gluba's political future. That will come soon enough, he hints.
"I love Davenport, and we're going to make it, continue to make it, the best city in the country," he concluded.
For him, taking small steps to promote a big recovery.