The Social Worker Who Changed My Life

There is so much to say about Henry Lawton, whose life that was cut short by a neuro-muscular disease that left his body paralyzed for years until he died. I knew Henry from his work with the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) as a case worker. I was one of the children he removed from an abusive family to be placed into an orphanage—something he usually worked to avoid.

Many years after Henry and I met, he described the first time he met my family as like being a lion tamer in a cage with lions. There was a real possibility of an argument between my mother and I turning into a physical altercation. Henry wasn’t like the many other social workers I had experienced; he looked deeper

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into what was going on—I owe my life to him for his perseverance. I remember his saying that it was the worst case of child abuse he had ever seen in his 25-year career.

Henry rescued me from my abusive family and placed me first in a shelter and then a group home—an orphanage. He was my ally in going before Family Court judges and in getting me into college despite DYFS regulations to the contrary. Henry cared about me and helped me to learn to care about myself. Once in college I was no longer on his caseload, but he still continued to be a part of my life. For more than 10 years after Henry stopped being my social worker, he continued to talk with me and help me to make better life choices.

More than talk, he showed up. Henry was the closest person to family I had at my wedding. I am a better person because of the time that Henry put into helping me to grow up and see that I could have a better life. Thanks to his help I was able to break away from the cycle of unplanned pregnancies, drug and alcohol dependence, and problems with the law. I became a productive member of society. I grew into an adult who has never been arrested, I had my daughter years after getting married, and I was even able to earn a four year college degree.

I owe my life to the hard work Henry put into helping me to become a better person.

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