NCIL Mourns the Loss of our Dear Friend, Jorge Pineda

For 15 years, Jorge Pineda served as NCIL’s accountant and so much more. He was the glue that turned our small staff into a family.

Jorge never missed an opportunity to show up as a friend.

He was the first person to show up to celebrate our wins and the person making sure everyone got home safe at the end of the night.

Every year, Jorge’s family, including his sister Blanca and nephew Daniel, travelled from Mexico to help the NCIL staff prepare for the Annual Conference on Independent Living. In those days, Jorge and his family very literally made NCIL’s annual conference possible.

During every march to the Capitol, he followed in his van to scoop up anyone in need of assistance. After the rally, he ferried those without an ounce of energy left back to safety in community.

Our debt to Jorge and his family is immeasurable, and his contributions played a significant role in the community building that allowed NCIL to effect significant change at the national level.

Many people know Jorge as husband to Judy Heumann. They met in Eugene, Oregon in 1991. Their love was as iconic as they were as individuals. Watch a video of Jorge and Judy talking about their relationship.

In 2012, Jorge was the recipient of NCIL’s President’s Award in recognition of his 15 years as NCIL staff. He also spent time working at the Endependence Center of Northern Virginia. Most recently, he returned to Mexico to be near his family.

Services in Mexico are taking place today.

Jorge was a true friend and we will honor his memory always.