The Force Still Moves: One Year Without Lawrence Wilbon

By Kenneth Braswell, CEO, Fathers Incorporated

One Year Later: Still Standing in His Shadow

On December 26, 2024, we lost a giant.

Lawrence Wilbon wasn’t just part of the team at Fathers Incorporated: He was a pillar. A force. A brother.

One year later, we still feel the silence.

But we also feel something else. Movement. Purpose. Echo. Lawrence didn’t just live. He led. And in leading, he left behind more than memories. He left instruction.

The Rhythm of Lawrence Wilbon’s Leadership

Lawrence never chased the spotlight. That wasn’t his style. He was a quiet thunder: steady, dependable, and deeply rooted in purpose. He showed us that leadership wasn’t about being loud. It was about being present. About showing up, over and over again, especially when it was inconvenient. Especially when it was hard.

He loved people through action and served with humility.

He reminded us that love is a verb. Faith, he’d say, was something you walked out with your boots on the ground. And from lifting fathers to strengthening families, from building systems to planting seeds, Lawrence gave everything he had, without asking anything in return.

A Legacy That Walks With Us

There’s a line from the song we wrote in his honor — “We’re Missing the Force of the L” — that captures the depth of our grief and our gratitude:

“Now heaven holds what earth can’t keep, but your legacy still lives in me.”

That legacy is real. It’s visible in our work. It’s alive in the men he mentored, the children he protected, and the systems he helped us build.

His presence still walks through every open door at Fathers Incorporated.

He left fingerprints on every part of this organization, and every time we take a bold step toward healing, justice, and responsible fatherhood, we feel him pushing us forward.

To Fathers: Pick Up the Mantle

To every father reading this — stand up. Be the protector. Be the builder. Be the steady hand your family can count on.

Lawrence showed us what it looks like to hold the line. Now, we carry his torch.

Don’t wait for permission to love loudly. Don’t hold back your presence. Your family doesn’t need perfection. They need you present. They need you committed. They need you there.

And to the brothers in the circle Lawrence left behind — remember the weight we now carry together. Not as a burden, but as a calling. Let’s keep each other lifted. Let’s lead like Lawrence did, not with ego, but with purpose.

To All of Us: Be Bold. Be Unapologetic. Be Right.

Lawrence’s voice still rings in my head. He’d always say, “Bro, you killed it.” And what he meant was, You stood in your purpose today. You didn’t shrink. You used your voice.

So let this be the charge: Be bold. Be unapologetic. And stand for what’s right, not what’s convenient.

That’s how Lawrence lived, that’s how he led, and that’s how we honor him.