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Lawrence Spino Jr.
FINDING HOPE AFTER TRAGEDY:
LAWRENCE SPINO’S STORY
For Lawrence Spino Jr., a career in the skilled trades meant taking pride in hard work and long hours. However, at just 31 years old, Lawrence faced a very different reality after a senseless act of violence changed his life forever.
Lawrence worked as a sheet metal fabricator and installer with DCS Mechanical from 2015 to 2020. During his time there, he gained experience fabricating and installing sheet metal, insulating ductwork, making cleats, and eventually operating the burn table, also known as a plasma cutter, where he averaged 35 to 50 sheets a day. When the COVID-19 pandemic brought uncertainty to the industry, Lawrence found himself out of work for nearly a year. Determined to continue building his career, he applied to Local 265 and was accepted into its apprenticeship program in 2022. He began working with State Mechanical, a commercial pipefitting and sheet metal shop that built projects for Costco, Amazon and other commercial warehouses, as well as high-rise apartment complexes in Chicago. Lawrence was nearing the completion of his first year as an apprentice when his life took an unimaginable turn.
On June 23, 2024, Lawrence was working as a Lyft driver on the weekends to earn extra money when he was shot in the neck during an attempted carjacking. The shooting left him with a spinal cord injury resulting in C4 quadriplegia and limited movement on his left side. The injury abruptly ended the career Lawrence had worked so hard to build. He is now dependent on caregivers and lives with his mother as he continues navigating the challenges of life with a spinal cord injury. “I no longer can work, so this impacts me greatly. I am in a wheelchair and can no longer use my hands. I used to work 10–12 hour days, five days a week and Saturday,” Lawrence shared.
As Lawrence began researching resources that could help him adapt to his new circumstances, he discovered The Joseph Groh Foundation online. He reached out to the Foundation for assistance with modifying the bathroom at his mother’s condominium. Through the generosity of The Joseph Groh Foundation’s donors, Lawrence received critical bathroom modifications, including replacement of the existing bathtub and toilet and improvements throughout the space to make it more accessible to his needs. He identifies, “Having a shower that I can use will be life-changing. I took bed baths for quite some time. There is no comparison.”
Lawrence knows the road ahead will be long, but he remains hopeful about what the future may hold. Inspired by the support of The Joseph Groh Foundation’s donors, he looks toward the future with a desire to help others facing similar challenges. “I was a victim of a tragic crime. I was living my life, and then it was abruptly changed by a senseless act. I am only 31 years old. I know this will be a long journey. I do miss working every day. I would like to work in the healthcare field, speaking with other spinal cord injury/crime victim patients.”
BECOME A LUMINARYThroughout the year, The Joseph Groh Foundation provides life-changing grants that help individuals connected to the contractingp industry with life-altering disabilities access essential resources—such as accessible vehicles, bathroom modifications, and rehabilitation technology—empowering them to reclaim independence. By becoming a monthly Luminary, you help propel this mission forward.