The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.. Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a womens rights champion in Uganda. The claim, served Oct. 22, is seeking more than $270 million in damages from the National Park Service. As recreation areas in eastern Utah reopened that summer, Michaud was excited to take his new wife to Arches National Park, and the two drove there in June. The woman I loved and I saw her for just her.. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her husband in Denver, where she moved to attend a leadership course on a full scholarship. Denver7's Lance Hernandez reports. National parks begin to reopen across the country. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, UTAH: More than 2 years after a woman was killed in a Utah national park, her husband and her family are suing the US government for $140 million in damages. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. She described Nakajjigo as a prominent women's rights activist who rose from poverty to become the host of a solutions-oriented reality television series in Uganda focused on empowering women on issues such as education and healthcare. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgement, saying it was the largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history. They had a courthouse ceremony in March, with plans to throw a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again. Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. Heading out the door? McGinn said if her life hadn't been cut short that Nakajjigo's trajectory suggested she would have gone on to become a nonprofit CEO who could eventually have netted an annual income in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, or even millions. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos.. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against the US National Parks Service seeking . Michaud and Nakajjigo had been married for just under three months when they decided to go see the Arches. I really wanted to show her Arches, he said, because I know all the parks around Moab It's one of my favorite places in the U.S., if not my favorite place.. Elizabeth Chuck is a reporter for NBC News who focuses on health and mental health, particularly issues that affect women and children. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5 million for Utah death - Los Angeles Times The trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. First published on December 6, 2022 / 9:23 AM. Receive a notification when services are updated. Liability is the exception rather than the rule, Kozlowski said. The couple had been married about three months. Illinois highway pile-up causes multiple deaths, police say, Trump motion to declare mistrial in E. Jean Carroll lawsuit denied, Transgender Montana lawmaker Zooey Zephyr sues over censure, Debt ceiling standoff heats up over veterans' programs, U.S. tracking high-altitude balloon first spotted off Hawaii, Biden administration ending vaccine mandate for federal workers, travelers, The weirdest items passengers leave behind in Ubers. DENVER -- Ludovic Michaud has notified the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service that he intends to file a wrongful death lawsuit because of a crash at the entrance to Arches National Park that claimed the life of his beloved wife, Esther Nakajjigo. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. McGinn, representing Nakajjigos family, likened her to a nonprofit CEO for an American charity and said she would have likely made millions throughout her life. On Monday, a federal judge in Utah ruled that the U.S. government must pay her family more than $10 million in damages. November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM In opening statements Monday in Salt Lake City, attorneys representing Michaud and Nakajjigo's family said they were seeking $140 million in damages from the government. She rose from poverty to become the host of a solutions-oriented reality television series in Uganda focused on empowering women on issues such as education and healthcare, and had successfully raised funds to build health care facilities in her hometown. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. She served as an ambassador for women and girls in her native Uganda, and created a reality TV show to combat early pregnancy and forced marriage. Denver7's Lance Hernandez reports. Opening statements previewed how the trial will hinge less on varying accounts of the accident and instead focus on Nakajiigo's biography and earning potential, which is used to calculate a portion of the damages. Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. "I turned my head and saw what I wish I didn't see.". "Emergency response personnel from the National Park Service, Grand County Sheriffs Office, Grand County EMS, Moab City Police Department, Utah Highway Patrol and Moab Valley Fire Department responded to the scene to provide assistance. Nakajjigo was a performer who used her celebrity to improve the status of women and girls in Uganda. The two married in March in a courthouse ceremony and had plans to have a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again, the outlet reported. Members get 15+ publications right in your pocket. I didnt know who she was at first, the 26-year-old expressed to NBC News. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. What it means to be a woman in the world's largest refugee settlement..it means you don't own anything not even your body. The plaintiffs contend multiple federal policies require such gates to be secured, but that the gate near the visitors center at Arches was unlatched for two weeks before it struck Nakajjigo. She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, Michaud said. Nakajjigos family will have to show her death was caused by more than negligence, said James C. Kozlowski, an associate professor of recreation management at George Mason University who studies legal issues in the outdoor industry. A family is getting $10 million in the wrongful death of Ugandan human rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, who was decapitated by a swinging metal gate in Arches National Park, Utah. She really loved the Denver vibe and so do I. Jenkins awarded Michaud $9.5 million; Nakajjigos mother, Christine Namagembe, $700,000; and her father, John Bosco Kateregga, $350,000. The lawsuit alleges that a simple $8 padlock could have prevented the gate from swinging, and claims the park violated regulations, CBS Colorado reported. Nakajjigo married Denver man Ludovic Michaud in March 2020. The family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essies projects. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo told NBC News in an exclusive interview. 'Shadow pandemic': Women, girls bear unequal share of Covid-19 burden, U.N. official warns, National parks begin to reopen across the country. At this time, I do not have more information to share.". Add a Memory At age 17, Nakajjigo. The suit was filed last . 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The United States will pay family members of Esther Nakajjigo, a Ugandan human rights activist killed in an accident at Arches National Park more than $10 million in damages, a federal judge ruled . On a windy spring day in 2020, Ludovic Michaud and his newlywed wife, Esther Nakajjigo, who was an actress and singer from Uganda, were traveling through Arches National Park when Nakajjigo was decapitated by a metal . Download the app . The gate was owned by the United States government and anchored on government property., READ NEXT: Famous Rappers Brother Dies From Apparent Suicide, Esther Nakajjigo: Uganda Activist Decapitated in Utah National Park, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. SALT LAKE CITY The family of human rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, who was decapitated in an accident in Arches National Park, has sued the National Park Service. Esther Nakajjigo, a native of Uganda, accomplished more at age 25 than most do in a lifetime. At 17 years old, Nakajjigo used her college tuition money to start a nonprofit community health center, NBC News reported. The family of Ugandan philanthropist Esther Nakajjigo, who was decapitated by a traffic gate in front of her husband in Arches National Park in Utah, has been awarded $10.5m. This is not the first time a tragedy like this has happened. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the. I dont know how I could stand to see another thing like that happen, and I just want to make sure we do whatever we can to avoid, to save another life.. It feels lonely, and thats hard. By his verdict, Judge Bruce Jenkins has shown the world how the American justice system works to hold its own government accountable and greatly values all lives, including that of Esther Nakajjigo, a remarkable young woman from Uganda, Randi McGinn, the familys attorney said in a statement. SALT LAKE CITY A judge awarded $10.2 million to the family and spouse of Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo, who was killed by an unsecured gate at Arches National Park in 2020.. Nakajjigo, 25, a women's rights activist from Uganda, was killed when driving in Arches National Park with Ludovic "Ludo" Michaud during a camping trip on June 13, 2020. In June, Nakajjigo was visiting the park with her new husband, Ludovic Michaud, Moab Sun News reported. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. Its still hard to concentrate, but I try to.. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. She also said it should have been installed to swing inwards for incoming traffic, not outwards. No services are scheduled at this time. A spokeswoman said the single vehicle accident happened June 13 on the entrance road of Arches National Park, near the Visitor's Center, and that the entrance was shut down for several hours. On June 13, she was needlessly decapitated by a metal gate that swung into the couples car as they were exiting the Arches parking lot on their way to go get ice cream, according to a wrongful death administrative claim exclusively obtained by NBC News. @ArielleHarrison https://t.co/YoCT50YObz. Yet park employees could have done a lot, the claim alleges, including taking note during inspections of the gate that it posed a danger and putting an inexpensive padlock on it. DENVER (CBS4) - The family of a Denver woman has filed a $270 million wrongful death claim against Arches National Park after she was killed there over the summer. It impaled their car and decapitated Nakajjigo. Most Facebook users can now claim settlement money. A widow and his wife's family are seeking $140 million in damages from the U.S. government more than two years after a woman was killed in a Utah national park. Olinger Hampden Mortuary, Cremation & Cemetery, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. After requesting that the family leave the courtroom, she recounted the moment Michaud realized his wife had been killed, when he inhaled the copper-tinged smell of blood, turned to figure out what it was and saw she was dead. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. She was particularly passionate about reducing teenage pregnancy and created two reality television shows that empowered women. I was a couple of inches from dying, but I didnt, and right now I have a mission: Its to make sure what shes done continues.. Michaud hopes he and Nakajjigos family can continue her legacy. But an attorney for her parents and husband said they were grateful for the judgment, which represents the largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history. But where they disagree, he said, is how much money Nakajjigo raised in her lifetime and how much education she completed. The metal pole forming the top of the gate pierced the passenger side of the car and struck Nakajjigo in the head and neck. "She was the woman I was trying to spend my life with," said the Parisian who'd moved to the U.S. "Everything was perfect.". She said there was nothing that visually set them apart. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places, Michaud said. Nelson, the government's attorney, said an appropriate award would be $3.5 million, far less than the $140 million being pursued. She rose from poverty to become the host of a solutions-oriented reality television series in Uganda focused on empowering women on issues such as education and healthcare, and had successfully raised funds to build health care facilities in her hometown. At age 17, she used her college tuition money to start a nonprofit community health center, which provided free reproductive health services to young women and girls. "For the sake of a padlock and chain, that you have in your garage that is all that would have made a difference in his world," Chang said. The organization was tailored toward reducing the risk of teenage pregnancy among teens. Nakajjigo worked on fundraising to open a hospital in an underserved part of Kampala, Uganda's capital, became a philanthropic celebrity and immigrated to the United States for a fellowship at the Boulder, Colorado-based Watson Institute for emerging leaders. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerhampdenmortuary.com for the Nakajjigo family. The same year, Nakajjigo was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. Liability, if any, would have to be based on proof of willful wanton misconduct, sometimes referred to as gross negligence.. Chang expects to file the lawsuit in about six months. Nakajjigos family and friends in Uganda started a petition to the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Ministry of Health in the country to make an exception for the young activist, the newspaper continued. Wilson Jaga, head of communications for the Office of Ugandas Ambassador for Women and Girls, advocated for her return in a statement obtained by the outlet, writing: We have also petitioned the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda requesting that H. E. Esther Nakajjigos short lived but very instrumental life be celebrated and Essie accorded a State Funeral as a symbol of recognition of small interventions made by young people to make their country a great nation. The pole gate pierced the passenger compartment of the couple's rental car, a Chevy Malibu, and decapitated Esther. Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time, was "needlessly decapitated," according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News. Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Recreation areas had recently opened after pandemic-era closures and, on the edge of Arches, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. McGinn, representing Nakajjigos family, likened her to a nonprofit CEO for an American charity and said she would have likely made millions throughout her life. As the couple was leaving the park, gusts of wind swung the gate around rapidly, enough to slice through the passenger side door of the couple's car, decapitating Nakajjigo as her husband sat feet away in the driver's seat. Show your support Send Flowers Send flowers or a sympathy gift to a service or family. Her husband was not harmed, the station added. It alleges that if park employees had properly installed the gate to not swing into oncoming traffic or placed an $8 padlock on the gate to secure it from moving in the breeze, the world would not have lost a young woman influencer destined to become our societys future Princess Diana, Philanthropist Melinda Gates, or Oprah Winfrey.. Several dozen per day. The claim she served is legally required before a lawsuit can be filed in court. A National Park Service spokeswoman declined to comment on the lawsuit Monday. Everything reminds Michaud of Nakajjigo. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. Of the accidents aftermath, Michaud told FOX 13: I saw the worst thing I hope I will ever see.. The claim describes Nakajjigos final moments in graphic detail and says the end of the lance-like gate pierced the side of their car and penetrated it like a hot knife through butter.. Recreation areas had recently opened after pandemic-era closures and, on the edge of Arches, a metal gate normally secured with a lock was left untethered. In June, the couple needed a break from quarantine, so they drove to Utah. Esther Nakajjigo and her husband were visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. It's known for a series of sculpture-like fins and arches made of an orange sandstone that wind and water have eroded for centuries. The suit was filed last week in federal court in Denver by the widower and parents of Nakajjigo. The wrongful death claim was served on October 22 and seeks more than $270 million in damages from the National Park Service, the outlet reported. Upon leaving, an unsecured metal gate swung into the road, killing Nakajjigo who was sitting in the passenger seat. She was also awarded a full scholarship from the king of Buganda. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? They were driving toward the exit when suddenly a gust of wind lifted a metal gate and the arm swung into the roadway. #EDD #sheiswe pic.twitter.com/VUD1jd7U7H, Esther Nakajjigo (@nakajjigo) June 7, 2018. Chang has filed a $270 million claim for wrongful death. In his judgement, Jenkins said the government had provided a more reasonable projection of Nakajjigos earnings potential. Sign up for service and obituary updates. "I don't want anyone or any other family to go through what we've been through," Michaud told CBS affiliate KUTV. Attorneys representing Michaud and Nakajjigos parents asked for $140 million in damages, while the government said an appropriate award would be roughly $3.5 million. "This act of selflessness went viral throughout Uganda, and she was featured in numerous magazines and news publications. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgment, saying it was the largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history. Its a fear of erasing her, I guess, when you use something that she bought or that she ate or that we did together.. Heres what you need to know about Esther Nakajjigo: Saving Innocence Challenge is a high school reality TV show of urban school girls empowering their rural counterparts to prevail over teenage pregnancy and keep in school. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent Ugandan human rights activist killed in Arches National Park in 2020 By SAM METZ Associated Press January 31, 2023, 11:37 AM 2:19 National headlines from ABC News Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. The ruling was. According to Deborah Chang, the Los Angeles-based trial attorney representing Michaud, there was nothing he could have done to swerve out of the way of the gate that killed his wife and narrowly missed him. Saving Innocence, one of the shows, depicted teenage girls from urban areas helping teen moms in rural communities go back to school, NBC News said. This decision serves as a reminder of the importance of proper maintenance and safety measures in our national parks, so as to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future, Michaud said in a statement to CBS News on Monday. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her husband in Denver, where she moved to attend a leadership course on a full scholarship. Randy Rost was injured when the camper pickup truck in which he was riding was impaled on a piece of gate in the Stanislaus National Forest, California, according to a court document. He said he didn't deny Nakajjigo was an extraordinary person, but argued it was difficult to speculate what kind of work she would have gone on to do. Businessman Awarded Sh126 Million for Land Forcefully Taken to Build SGR The Environment and Land Court has awarded over Sh126 Hotel Rwanda hero and government critic arrives in US Paul Rusesabagina, an outspoken critic of the Rwandan government, has arrived 2023 SAMRACK - Diaspora News & Updates; design by: Samrack. Michaud, who hails from France, told the station during his first interview since his wifes death that he just saw her as a smart person who loved to laugh.. Instead of planning their future together, Michaud is now processing the trauma and grief of Nakajjigos gruesome death and hoping the lawsuit his attorney plans to file will save other families from experiencing what he did. Newlyweds Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud visited the park in mid June. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Nominate Someone for a FOX 13 Dream Team Surprise! What happens to First Republic Bank's stock and deposits now? She was always willing to help, he said. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. Gate accidents similar to Nakajjigos have happened across the country, according to NBC News. Esther Nakajjigo, age 25, of Denver, Colorado passed away on Saturday June 13, 2020. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Just as the coronavirus pandemic took hold in the U.S., Michaud, a video streaming technology solution architect who is originally from France, and Nakajjigo decided they wanted to marry. As the couple was leaving the park, gusts of wind swung the gate around rapidly, enough to slice through the passenger side door of the couples car, decapitating Nakajjigo as her husband sat feet away in the drivers seat. He filed his claim October 22. The park service previously issued a statement expressing sympathy to Nakajjigos family. The trial gave me and Essies family members an opportunity to tell Essies beautiful story, and it was so important to me to have the chance to stand up and speak for this amazing woman.. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. By his verdict, Judge Bruce Jenkins has shown the world how the American justice system works to hold its own government accountable and greatly values all lives, including that of Esther Nakajjigo, a remarkable young woman from Uganda," Randi McGinn, the family's attorney said in a statement. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. Posted at 10:15 PM, Nov 12, 2020 "I went from the best time of my life to the worst, in one second," he said. Esther Nakajjigo Of Denver Decapitated By Gate :Family Files $270M Wrongful Death Claim Against Arches National Park [VIDEO] Trying To Figure Out How To Move Forward': Widower Of Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate At Arches National Park Struggles After Trauma For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. Its likely the first step in a lengthy federal lawsuit. On Monday, a federal judge in Utah . They argued that had employees installed the gate properly and secured it with an $8 padlock, Nakajjigos death could have been prevented, NBC News reported. In court, Michaud described his relationship with Nakajjigo as the best time of his life., It feels lonely, and thats hard. . Esther Nakajjigo was killed at Utah's Arches National Park when a metal pipe from a swinging gate decapitated her. "The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Uganda's 'Young Personality of the Year,'" the Post reported. The complaint also describes how Michaud had to witness the grisly scene. Nakajjigo's younger brother John, who traveled from Uganda to the U.S. to be at the trial, told KUTV that life without his sister has been extremely tough, but he is grateful for the opportunity to be at the trial and also meet Nakajjigo's husband for the first time. Her husband was not harmed, the station added. It could have happened to anyone and if nothing is done, its going to happen again, he said. The trip to the wind-weathered sandstone of Arches National Park was supposed to be a celebration a chance for Ludovic Michaud, of Denver, to show his new wife one of his favorite landmarks. The United Nations Population Fund awarded her a Woman Achiever Award," the claim states. I didnt know who she was at first, Michaud, 26, told NBC News in his first interview since Nakajjigos death. Michaud, in February, told FOX 13 about the trip to the park. Nakajjigos remains were flown back to Uganda in August. She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart, said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigos husband. Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time, was needlessly decapitated, according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News. They argued that had employees installed the gate properly and secured it with an $8 padlock, Nakajjigos death could have been prevented, This decision serves as a reminder of the importance of proper maintenance and safety measures in our national parks, so as to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future, Michaud said in, on Monday. / CBS Colorado. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. In 2020, Ludovic Michaud was driving with his 25-year-old wife Esther Nakajjigo out of Utah's Arches National Park to get ice cream on June 13 when a metal gate swung into the car and cut her head . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. We asked the Park Service about the swing gates and were told that both sides are now padlocked when in the "open" position. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on a windy summer day in 2020 when a piece of a metal gate from Utah's Arches National Park broke through the passenger door and decapitated her - and now her husband.
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