Michael "Lefty" Forcier:
A Rough Biography

I was born in northern Michigan, given up for adoption at age 1, and ran away from home at age 15.

At 16, I bought my first drum set, and taught myself to play in abandoned buildings and in the woods surrounding the town.

I got good enough to start playing drums in few bands over the next few years, and moved to California, where I began cutting trees for a living.

In 1984, a tree I had just cut fell down on top of me, crushing the left side of my body, and leading to the loss of part of my left arm. (for a newspaper account of the accident, click HERE)

This accident changed the course of my life.

Almost reflexively, I took up the name Lefty to show my sense of humor was intact, and I began taking up the host of new challenges that come with being “an amputee”.

I also chose not to wear prosthetics – preferring to live in the truth of my situation.

Three months out of my wheelchair, I took up one of the more challenging jobs I could think of – becoming an auto repossessor in the “mean streets” of LA.

I also learned to drum one-handed (lots of footwork, folks), and started the band Suavage with a phenomenal bassist named Chance.

In 2002, a friend advised me to check out the Movie and TV industry, where amputees often find background (“extra”) work. Ironically, the unique look of my arm has become a positive capability, and I have found steady employment -- playing a pirate, a war casualty, a criminal, a street bum, and a host of other characters.

In 2007, I began a new challenge -- selling high-end Blendtec blenders at Costco stores throughout the SF Bay Area, and have again found unexpected success in this new venture, both in terms of sales, and the host of incredible, beautiful people Ive met along the way (some of whom even purchased blenders).

I also compiled my adventures in the auto reposession trade into a book, called One-Armed Bandit, which will be published by Dorance Press in December 2008.

Basically, Im just a guy in love with life, and always on the look-out for new challenges and inspirations.

And you oughta see my pool game.

Its' wicked.