Nick Orford: A Teamster's Journey from Culinary Arts to Resilience After Tragedy

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Nick Orford's family has a long history in the trucking sector, particularly within the oil and gas industry of British Columbia's Peace Region. His grandfather, father, uncles, and brothers all followed this path, but Nick chose a different route, initially pursuing a culinary career in some of Vancouver's esteemed restaurants, such as L'Hermitage and Bistro Pastis. However, the struggle of low-wage culinary positions in an expensive city began to weigh heavily on him. The turning point in Orford's life came during a conversation with his brother, who shared his impressive earnings in the trucking industry. "I thought, 'Jesus, I’m obviously in the wrong industry,'" Orford recalled. At 40, he decided to pivot his career, a choice that he later expressed regret for not making sooner.
Orford's transition into the trucking world began with a job at Revolution Resource Recovery, marking the start of his journey with the Teamsters union. Now employed by Amrize, formerly known as Lafarge, he has spent the last four years in a position he finds fulfilling. However, on July 31, 2023, tragedy struck. After returning from a family camping trip, Orford was riding his motorcycle to work when he encountered a picket line outside the Coca-Cola Bottling facility in Coquitlam. In a moment of distraction, his motorcycle's throttle lock malfunctioned, leading to a catastrophic accident involving a dump truck.
Medical personnel informed Orford that they would need to amputate his left leg below the knee, a devastating blow that he faced with remarkable resilience. Despite the horror of the situation, he maintained a positive outlook, driven by two significant goals: to walk down the beach at his wedding and to return to work. "I had a goal: 'I’m walking down the beach in February. I don’t care what happens,'" he said, a mantra that kept him focused during his recovery.
Incredibly, Orford achieved both goals. He walked down the beach to marry his fiancée, Nicol, in the Dominican Republic just seven months after his accident. Furthermore, he returned to work only eight months later. "You can’t explain how good it is to get off the couch and back into society as a contributing person," he stated, emphasizing the importance of having a purpose.
Orford now uses two prosthetic legs—one designed for work and the other for daily life. He chose to proudly display the Teamsters logo on his work prosthetic as a testament to his commitment to his job and union. "I just thought that it’d be cool to use an old one of my Teamsters shirts as the design on my work leg," he explained, showcasing his pride in being a member of Teamsters Local 213.
Tony Santavenere, a principal with Local 213, expressed admiration for Orford's journey, stating, "Nick represents the heart and soul of what it means to be a Teamster 213 member. The guts and courage it took to go through that accident and then battle back to work and a fulfilling life is incredible. He’s a true inspiration." Now at 53, Orford remains dedicated to his work at Amrize, looking forward to what the future holds.

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