It is with heavy hearts that I announce the passing of Lawrence S. Forman on October 16, 2023. One of our pioneers in life care planning and a Fellow of the International Academy of Life Care Planners, Mr. Forman dedicated his life and his career to helping others. He is survived by his wife, Sheila; children, Rachel, David, and Joshua; and grandchildren, Cessie, Charly and Levi.
Originally from New York, Mr. Forman attended Long Island University where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Sociology and a minor in Education. He pursued a Master of Education Degree at the University of Miami with a major in Mental Retardation and a minor in Physically Handicapped. In 1985, Mr. Forman obtained a Juris Doctor Degree from Nova University Law Center.
His early professional experiences focused on the education/vocational training of persons with disabilities throughout the public school system and private agencies. Mr. Forman subsequently was employed by the State of Florida within the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services where he became the Director of a 900-bed residential facility and ultimately the Program Supervisor for the Division of Mental Retardation. He also worked in hospitals and rehabilitation centers.
In 1981, he founded Comprehensive Rehabilitation Consultants, Inc., a private agency providing medical case management, rehabilitative services, life care planning, and guardianship planning to individuals with disabilities throughout the United States and internationally.
He held numerous appointments at various points in his career and this list is by no means complete: he was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush to the State of Florida Governor's Alliance for Employment of Disabled Citizens; Chairperson of the Vocational Advisory Board for South Florida Epilepsy Society; Vice President of the Brain Injury Association; Vice Chairman of Shake-A-Leg of Miami, an adaptive sailing program; Past President for Miami Youth Museum; Board of Directors for the Florida Brain Injury Association; Vice Chair of the Florida Bar Probate Rules Committee; Member of the Florida Bar Education Committee; and Board member for Community Committee for Developmental Handicaps.
In addition to his extraordinary career, here is how I hope we will remember him.
A boy is walking on a beach that is covered with starfish, and he sees a man reaching down, picking up a starfish, and throwing it into the water. The boy asks the man "what are you doing? How can you possibly make a difference?" The man leans over, picks up a starfish, throws it into the water, and says to the boy, "it made a difference to that one, didn't it?"
Lawrence Forman was that man on the beach. But he did not just pick up one starfish at a time…he scooped up bunches of them, throwing them back into the water as quickly as possible. For Larry, helping others in need was a mission that sometimes surpassed all rational thought.
Larry looked around and found folks to inspire to follow in his footsteps. He found superb special education teachers and offered them jobs; he served tirelessly on hundreds of committees and community projects…and as for me, he saw a 14-year-old kid who wanted to make a difference in the lives of folks with special needs. Larry and I formed a bond that lasted over 50 years.
Throughout his career, he did not just help hundreds, he helped thousands. It was his drive, determination, and belief that he could make a difference that gave him the courage to help deinstitutionalize Sunland training center, become the president of the local ARC, and at the same time go to law school. The greatest legacy he leaves is not only all those starfish he threw back into the ocean, but all the people who have followed in his footsteps, scooping up those starfish and throwing them back in the water. Let us continue his legacy. I challenge all of you to spend some time on the beach and get all those starfish back in the water.
Darlene Carruthers
President, Comprehensive Rehabilitation Consultants
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Darlene Carruthers
Exec. Vice Pres
dcarruthers@crcmiami.comBuffalo, NY United States
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