Pasadena Names Nathan Wolford 2026 Recipient of Its Robert Gorski Access Award

Nathan Wolford lost both legs below the knee in a 2017 work accident in Michigan. This month, the City of Pasadena named him the 2026 recipient of its Robert Gorski Access Award.

The award, established by the city’s Accessibility and Disability Commission, is presented each year to a Pasadena community member with a disability who has made a significant contribution toward improving accessibility and quality of life for people with disabilities and the city’s disability community, according to a City of Pasadena press release.

Wolford will be honored at the City Council meeting on Monday, July 20.

Wolford lives in Pasadena after moving from West Michigan with his wife, Erin, the city said. He serves as the Villager and Volunteer Coordinator at Pasadena Village, a membership community of older adults in the greater Pasadena area, where he also chairs the organization’s Accessibility Task Force.

The press release said he enjoys working with and for people with disabilities.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry from Cornerstone University and is pursuing a Master of Divinity at Fuller Seminary, according to the press release. He plans to work in healthcare chaplaincy after he graduates.

Since the accident that led to the amputation of both legs below the knees, Wolford has mentored others in the limb-loss community, volunteering with Hanger Clinic, Camp No Limits and the Limb Kind Foundation, the city said.

Beyond his work at Pasadena Village, he looks for chances to answer questions and educate those around him about living with limb loss, according to the release.

The release said his advocacy centers on the empowerment of people with disabilities and on the belief that people in the disability community hold unique experiences and perspectives that equip them to make a positive impact on their communities. While a disability can bring challenges, he believes it is possible to thrive, according to the release.

The award is named for Robert Gorski, who served as Pasadena’s accessibility coordinator from 1989 to 2016 and continued as a disability-rights advocate until his death in January 2020, according to the commission. Past recipients include Donna Pomerantz, the first honoree in 2021, followed by Zebreda Dunham, E.R. Ruiz, Emily Suñez and Andrew Skinner.