"The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Uganda's 'Young Personality of the Year,'" the Denver Post reported. 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. National parks begin to reopen across the country. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerhampdenmortuary.com for the Nakajjigo family. I couldnt work properly for a couple of months. Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. 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. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. But rather a sex object, a cola to quench sexual thirst of sex-hungry men who have power and control in the refugee settlements. The family of a woman killed while visiting Arches National Park is hoping they can change the dangerous conditions that lead to her death and continue the philanthropy she inspired around the globe. The same year, Nakajjigo was. The National Park Service did not respond to repeated inquiries from NBC News, nor did Arches National Park Chief Ranger Scott Brown. Esther Nakajjigo. ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, Utah - Trial began Monday, Dec. 5 for the death of Ugandan women's activist Esther Nakajjigo, who died after a gate at Arches National Park swung open and decapitated her.The family is in federal court with a $140million-dollar wrongful lawsuit and personal claim lawsuit against the National Park Service.The U.S. already admitted responsibility for the wrongful death . "Multiple fatalities" in massive pile-up on Illinois highway, Yellen warns U.S. could default on debt as early as June 1. Newlyweds Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud visited the park in mid June. For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. 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. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerhampdenmortuary.com for the Nakajjigo family. Nakajjigo also created a reality television show in Uganda focused on helping teenage mothers stay in school and learn life skills. FOX 13 reported earlier this year how Nakajjigo died June 13, 2020, after wind caught a traffic control gate and blew it into the rented Chevy Malibu driven by her husband, Ludo Michaud. In June, Nakajjigo was visiting the park with her new husband, Ludovic Michaud, Moab Sun News reported. 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. But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. Activist Esther Nakajjigo dies in the U.S NTVUganda 930K subscribers Subscribe 28K views 2 years ago The family of Esther Nakajjigo a Ugandan Activist who died in the US is asking the. The suit does not specify the amount the plaintiffs are seeking, though it accuses park staff of negligence. I found her really interesting. In June, the couple needed a break from quarantine, so they drove to Utah. 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. 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. 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. How do you measure someone like her? CBS News Poll: How GOP primary race could be Trump v. Trump fatigue. It claims three other people have died from similar incidents involving gates in the last 32 years. 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. She met Michaud on Tinder in 2019, when she was attending a leadership program in Boulder, Colorado. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places, Michaud said. Nominate Someone for a FOX 13 Dream Team Surprise! 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. 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. There have been gate accidents across the country, including another one on federal government property in 1980 in which a camper in California was impaled by a U.S. Forest Service road closure gate. She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. "We don't know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. Michaud's wife, Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was a celebrated human rights activist in her home country of Uganda. It argues that park employees only needed to install the gate with an $8 padlock to prevent it from killing a young woman influencer destined to become our societys future Princess Diana, Philanthropist Melinda Gates, or Oprah Winfrey, NBC News said. As they entered the park on June 13, high winds blew the park entrance gate, a swinging pole, back across the highway. 'Shadow pandemic': Women, girls bear unequal share of Covid-19 burden, U.N. official warns, National parks begin to reopen across the country. Liability, if any, would have to be based on proof of willful wanton misconduct, sometimes referred to as gross negligence.. Attorney: 'For want of an $8 padlock, woman lost life'. Other reasons for that sum is who Nakajjigo was and what she. Everything reminds Michaud of Nakajjigo. 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. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good," the claim continues. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The same year, Nakajjigo was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. 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.. Even simple tasks like cooking rice stored in a jar that Nakajjigo bought before her death feel paralyzing, he said. Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. What awaited them there was as awful as it was unthinkable. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Download the app . Nakajjigo was not sure where she wanted to work whether it was in the U.S., back in Uganda or elsewhere but Michaud was willing to follow her wherever she could continue to make the most impact. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her husband in Denver, where she moved to attend a leadership course on a full scholarship. "I'm trying to be a star, to be able to lighten the lives of the people who feel it's dark," she said. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. First published on December 6, 2022 / 9:23 AM. Nakajjigos remains were flown back to Uganda in August. We asked the Park Service about the swing gates and were told that both sides are now padlocked when in the "open" position. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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. There is a lot of small things I miss.. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. 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. 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. 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. Esther was born April 16, 1995. 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 The family of Esther Nakajjigo accused the National Park Service of negligence for not properly securing the metal gate that killed her. Michaud hopes he and Nakajjigos family can continue her legacy. She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart, said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigos husband. The gruesome nature of Nakajjigos death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan womens rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. He has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and has struggled with flashbacks. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. / CBS/AP. The claim, served Oct. 22, is seeking more than $270 million in damages from the National Park Service. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigo's family, on Monday described the death in gruesome detail. Nakajjigo created a reality TV show that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. The woman I loved and I saw her for just her.. In other words, he added, theres no liability for ordinary negligence. Nakajjigo received numerous international accolades and awards and had come to the United States to further her education, participating in programs at Drexel University in Philadelphia as a Mandela Washington Fellow and at the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, where she was the recipient of a Luff Peace Fellowship. Esther Nakajjigo and her husband were visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. Esther Nakajjigo, a native of Uganda, accomplished more at age 25 than most do in a lifetime. 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. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, Michaud said. Its a fear of erasing her, I guess, when you use something that she bought or that she ate or that we did together.. Initiative by the late @nakajjigo | https://t.co/hMEUS3a5uj pic.twitter.com/OBhxkiPqPZ, Urban Television (@UrbanTVUganda) October 25, 2020. The wind whipped a metal. In his judgement, Jenkins said the government had provided a more reasonable projection of Nakajjigo's earnings potential. According to Moab Sun News, the Ugandan government on April 19 forbade the repatriation of the remains of Ugandans who pass away abroad over fears of the coronavirus. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. She founded the Princess Diana Health Center, Moab Sun News continued. Michaud says he wants to keep her legacy going, but he also wants the gates at National Parks and forests across the U.S. to be safe for visitors. "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.". I found her really interesting. "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 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.. Its still hard to concentrate, but I try to.. The same year, Nakajjigo was named Uganda's ambassador for women and girls. At age 17, Nakajjigo. 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. Michaud, in February, told FOX 13 about the trip to the park. Let others know about your loved one's death. Its likely the first step in a lengthy federal lawsuit. Shed come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. She said entrance gates should be locked into place whether they are open or closed. 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. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. SALT LAKE CITY The United States will pay family members of a Ugandan human rights activist killed in an accident at Arches National Park more than $10 million in damages, a federal judge ruled Monday. 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. Esther Nakajjigo was a prominent Ugandan human rights activist who was killed in Utah's Arches National Park in 2020. Esther Nakajjigo died on June 13 after a metal gate swung into a car she and her husband were in and sliced het head off Credit: Handout. Her dreams were just about to come true, Chang 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. "I went from the best time of my life to the worst, in one second," he said. Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. Members get 15+ publications right in your pocket. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. In court, Michaud described his relationship with Nakajjigo as the best time of his life., It feels lonely, and thats hard. 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. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. No services are scheduled at this time. She also said it should have been installed to swing inwards for incoming traffic, not outwards. 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. Nelson, the government's attorney, said an appropriate award would be $3.5 million, far less than the $140 million being pursued. 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. 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. 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. The lawsuit alleges that a simple $8 padlock could have prevented the gate from swinging, and claims the park violated regulations. 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. First published on November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM. It impaled their car and decapitated Nakajjigo. Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo told NBC News in an exclusive interview. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was driving around the stunning Arches National Park in Utah, US, in 2020 along with her husband Ludovic Michaud when the unthinkable happened. She was also awarded a full scholarship from the king of Buganda. A National Park Service spokeswoman declined to comment on the lawsuit Monday. She really loved the Denver vibe and so do I. In his ten-page verdict, U.S. District Court Judge Bruce Jenkins said the government admitted fault and apologized for Nakajjigos death. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. The ruling was. The family Essie Nakajjigo, an activist who died in Arches National Park in 2020, is preparing to head to trial for a wrongful death lawsuit. The metal gate at Arches National Park, normally secured with a lock, was left untethered. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. I didnt know who she was at first, Michaud, 26, told NBC News in his first interview since Nakajjigos death. The large monetary damages being sought on behalf of Michaud and Nakajjigos parents are a reflection of the suffering they have gone through plus the loss of Nakajjigos future income and fundraising abilities, Chang said. Esther Nakajjigo is a former Uganda activist who was decapitated this summer at the Utah Arches National Park. 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 . One also took place on federal government property in the 80s, the outlet continued, when a U.S. Forest Service road closure gate impaled a California camper. The couple was leaving a park parking lot to get ice cream when a metal traffic control gate swung into the road, piercing the passenger side of the couples rental car and severing Nakajjigos head. "Our sympathies go out to Esther Nakajjigo's family, friends and those whose lives she impacted," Public Affairs specialist Vanessa Lacayo said in a statement. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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. Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. This is not the first time a tragedy like this has happened. The family's lawsuit claims when the national parks reopened in April 2020 after being shuttered due to COVID-19, rangers at the national park in Utah didn't secure the gate in place, which in effect "turned a metal pipe into a spear that went straight through the side of a car, decapitating and killing Esther Nakajjigo.". Show your support Send Flowers Send flowers or a sympathy gift to a service or family. Her passions included lowering teen pregnancy, as well as creating two reality television shows that empowered women, the outlet reported. Michaud and Nakajjigo had been married for just under three months when they decided to go see the Arches. 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. "Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a women's rights champion in Uganda. Ludovic said he knows the suit won't bring his beloved wife back, but he wants to make sure the same type of tragic accident doesn't happen to anyone else. Jenkins awarded Michaud $9.5 million; Nakajjigos mother, Christine Namagembe, $700,000; and her father, John Bosco Kateregga, $350,000. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. 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 married Denver man Ludovic Michaud in March 2020. I had a ton of flashbacks. Esther Nakajjigo, a Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in Arches National Park in Utah on June 13, 2020. Of the accidents aftermath, Michaud told FOX 13: I saw the worst thing I hope I will ever see.. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Her husband was not harmed, the station added. Mail that Nakajjigo has continued to receive after her death has been a stark reminder of the life they should still be enjoying together. 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. 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. Liability is the exception rather than the rule, Kozlowski said. Attorneys representing Michaud and Nakajjigo's parents asked for $140 million in damages, while the government said an appropriate award would be roughly $3.5 million. 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. United States attorneys do not dispute that park officials shouldered blame, but argued the amount the family should be awarded is far less and called into questions the ways in which the damages being sought were calculated. But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. What awaited them there was as awful as it was unthinkable. 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. Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time, was needlessly decapitated, according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News. Esther Nakajjigo, age 25, of Denver, Colorado passed away on Saturday June 13, 2020. They were driving toward the exit when suddenly a gust of wind lifted a metal gate and the arm swung into the roadway. Ludovic Michaud and his new wife, Esther Nakajjigo, were driving around Arches National Park on a windy spring day in 2020 when a metal gate whipped around, sliced through the passenger door of. Its a fear of erasing her, I guess, when you use something that she bought or that she ate or that we did together, he said. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. The family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essies projects. 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. 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..
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