This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. Show your support Send Flowers Send flowers or a sympathy gift to a service or family. 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. She said entrance gates should be locked into place whether they are open or closed. The same year, Nakajjigo was. Michaud's wife, Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was a celebrated human rights activist in her home country of Uganda. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. The claim she served is legally required before a lawsuit can be filed in court. 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 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.. Theres a newsletter that went out to all the parks and the National Park Service that warned of this decades ago. "Multiple fatalities" in massive pile-up on Illinois highway, Yellen warns U.S. could default on debt as early as June 1. He has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and has struggled with flashbacks. IE 11 is not supported. The Uganda native met Michaud in June 2019 through a dating app in Aurora, Colorado, according to NBC News. The couple, who lived together in Denver, Colorado, were exiting the park on June 13 to get ice cream when a metal gate swung loose and pierced their car, the newspaper continued. She was also awarded a full scholarship from the king of Buganda. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo told NBC News in an exclusive interview. 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.. The metal gate at Arches National Park, normally secured with a lock, was left untethered. Trying To Figure Out How To Move Forward: Widower Of Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate At Arches National Park Struggles After Trauma. The claim, served Oct. 22, is seeking more than $270 million in damages from the National Park Service. 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. 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. Several dozen per day. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. No services are scheduled at this time. 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.. She was particularly passionate about reducing teenage pregnancy and created two reality television shows that empowered women. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerhampdenmortuary.com for the Nakajjigo family. 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. 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. What happens to First Republic Bank's stock and deposits now? Instead, the Utah park became the site of a horrific accident that killed her. If you have a story idea or tip for the FOX 13 Investigative unit, please share it with us below: Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. 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. Denver7's Lance Hernandez reports. One time it was the delivery of her Social Security card; another time, an update on her immigration status. "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.". Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. 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, a native of Uganda, accomplished more at age 25 than most do in a lifetime. She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart, said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigos husband. Download the app. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. At 17 years old, Nakajjigo used her college tuition money to start a nonprofit community health center, NBC News reported. Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigos earnings potential. Receive a notification when services are updated. The United Nations Population Fund awarded her a Woman Achiever Award," the claim states. Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a womens rights champion in Uganda. The pole gate pierced the passenger compartment of the couple's rental car, a Chevy Malibu, and decapitated Esther. One, Saving Innocence, depicted teenage girls from urban areas helping teen moms in rural communities go back to school. Ludovic's attorney, Deborah Chang, told Denver7 the entrance gate should have been locked open, and not allowed to swing freely. 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 (credit: Ludovic Michaud). I couldnt work properly for a couple of months. Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a women's rights champion in Uganda. 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.. Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigo's earnings potential. 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, the Associated Press reported. They said you have to lock it or its going to impale a car, so everyone knows, Chang said. She earned numerous global awards and traveled to the U.S. to further her education, the newspaper reported. 'Shadow pandemic': Women, girls bear unequal share of Covid-19 burden, U.N. official warns, National parks begin to reopen across the country. Her husband was not harmed, the station added. "It could have happened to the people in front of us, or behind us," he said. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigo's family, on Monday described the death in gruesome detail. Attorney: 'For want of an $8 padlock, woman lost life'. The family of Esther Nakajjigo was awarded over $10 million from the U.S. government in a wrongful death case stemming from a tragic accident in 2020. A video tribute to his wife showed her talking about her name, in an earlier recording. 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.. CBS News Poll: How GOP primary race could be Trump v. Trump fatigue. The lawsuit alleges that a simple $8 padlock could have prevented the gate from swinging, and claims the park violated regulations. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. She really loved the Denver vibe and so do I. But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. According to NBC News, Nakajjigo was named as Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. 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. Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. The family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essies projects. 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. The gruesome nature of Nakajjigo's death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan womens rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. 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. Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Elizabeth Chuck is a reporter for NBC News who focuses on health and mental health, particularly issues that affect women and children. Her dreams were just about to come true, Chang said. The complaint also describes how Michaud had to witness the grisly scene. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. The young activist participated in programs at Drexel University in Philadelphia as a Mandela Washington Fellow and at the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado as a Luff Peace Fellow, Moab Sun News said. "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. 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. Let others know about your loved one's death. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. 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 . Olinger Hampden Mortuary, Cremation & Cemetery, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Nakajjigo and her husband Ludovic Michaud were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the region's national parks months after their wedding. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. Its a fear of erasing her, I guess, when you use something that she bought or that she ate or that we did together.. 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 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. He didnt know Nakajjigo had a massive following in her native Uganda. @ArielleHarrison https://t.co/YoCT50YObz. The suit does not specify the amount the plaintiffs are seeking, though it accuses park staff of negligence. 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. 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. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. The couple hiked to Delicate Arch and ate lunch in the Windows area before starting their drive out of the park. 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. "I don't want anyone or any other family to go through what we've been through," Michaud told CBS affiliate KUTV. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. First published on December 6, 2022 / 9:23 AM. Esther Nakajjigo is a former Uganda activist who was decapitated this summer at the Utah Arches National Park. Nakajjigo accomplished more by age 25 than most people do in a lifetime. Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. 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. 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. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. 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. Posted at 10:15 PM, Nov 12, 2020 She met Michaud on Tinder in 2019, when she was attending a leadership program in Boulder, Colorado. Michaud was not injured in the accident, but he was covered head-to-toe in his wifes blood. 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. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. The National Park Service did not respond to repeated inquiries from NBC News, nor did Arches National Park Chief Ranger Scott Brown. 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. Liability, if any, would have to be based on proof of willful wanton misconduct, sometimes referred to as gross negligence.. 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. Nakajjigo was a celebrated human rights activist in Uganda, her home country, Moab Sun News continued. "Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a women's rights champion in Uganda. It could have happened to anyone and if nothing is done, its going to happen again, he said. Esther Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud) Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Its still hard to concentrate, but I try to.. 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. 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. . "The National Park Service has, in fact, known for decades that an unsecured metal pipe gate creates an undetectable hazard and dangerous condition," the claim states. The gruesome nature of Nakajjigos death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan womens rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. Esther Nakajjigo was exiting the park June 13 when the sharp end of a freely swinging gate pierced her car, killing Nakajjigo and narrowly missing her husband. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. How do you measure someone like her? In June, Nakajjigo was visiting the park with her new husband, Ludovic Michaud, Moab Sun News reported. The same year, Nakajjigo was named Uganda's ambassador for women and girls. The lawsuit alleges that a simple $8 padlock could have prevented the gate from swinging, and claims the park violated regulations, CBS Colorado reported. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? The organization was tailored toward reducing the risk of teenage pregnancy among teens. Esther Nakajjigo, a native of Uganda, accomplished more at age 25 than most do in a lifetime. 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. "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. "I turned my head and saw what I wish I didn't see.". First published on November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM. The park service previously issued a statement expressing sympathy to Nakajjigos family. For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. 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 . 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. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places, Michaud said. It feels lonely, and thats hard. 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. Esther Nakajjigo. The suit was filed last week in federal court in Denver by the widower and parents of Nakajjigo. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. But rather a sex object, a cola to quench sexual thirst of sex-hungry men who have power and control in the refugee settlements. 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.. Esther was born April 16, 1995. 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. 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. November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. 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. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. A federal judge this week awarded $10.5 million to the family of a Denver woman. Members get 15+ publications right in your pocket. I found her really interesting. 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.. There is a lot of small things I miss.. "I'm trying to be a star, to be able to lighten the lives of the people who feel it's dark," she said. The trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. "For how majestic these parks are, it's kind of shocking how rudimentary these gates are," she said. Here's how. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. IE 11 is not supported. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good," the claim continues. They said claims by the family's lawyers that Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time of her death, was on track to be a nonprofit CEO shortly were too speculative to be used as a basis for damages. We asked the Park Service about the swing gates and were told that both sides are now padlocked when in the "open" position. The horror of Nakajjigo's death is one reason Michaud has filed a claim with the National Park Service seeking $270 million. Michaud, in February, told FOX 13 about the trip to the park. Download the app . Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. Nominate Someone for a FOX 13 Dream Team Surprise! Esther Nakajjigo, age 25, of Denver, Colorado passed away on Saturday June 13, 2020. Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. The woman I loved and I saw her for just her.. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. Nakajjigo married Denver man Ludovic Michaud in March 2020. Chang expects to file the lawsuit in about six months. What awaited them there was as awful as it was unthinkable. Heading out the door? 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. The suit was filed last . 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. 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.. "I went from the best time of my life to the worst, in one second," he said. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. They had a courthouse ceremony in March, with plans to throw a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. FOX 13 reported earlier this year how Nakajjigo died June 13, 2020. Nakajjigo was a performer who used her celebrity to improve the status of women and girls in Uganda. Twitter 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. 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. 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. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential. December 6, 2022 / 9:23 AM 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. At this time, I do not have more information to share.". 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. View of the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. But where they disagree, he said, is how much money Nakajjigo raised in her lifetime and how much education she completed. 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 . I had a ton of flashbacks. She received multiple honors for her humanitarian work and was attending a leadership program in Bolder, Colorado, at the time of her death. Michaud and his in-laws previously filed a claim with the National Park Service a step toward filing the lawsuit asking for $270 million. Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. After seeing a pregnant 14-year-old girl die during a difficult delivery, Nakajjigo decided to use her college tuition money to start a nonprofit community health center that provided free reproductive health services to females aged 10-24. "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. At age 17, Nakajjigo. 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. harley davidson fuel line o ring, pablo schreiber tattoos, black hills state football: roster,
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