But when she met Michaud in June 2019 in Aurora, Colorado, through a dating app, he just saw her as a smart person who loved to laugh. 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. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. Nakajjigo was a women's rights champion in her home country of Uganda; she founded a nonprofit community health center using her college tuition money, and created two reality TV shows centered around empowering women. What if he hadn't suggested the trip. Newlyweds Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud visited the park in mid June. Updated: Jan 31, 2023 / 03:49 PM MST. 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.. Lorsque vous utilisez nos sites et applications, nous utilisons des, authentifier les utilisateurs, appliquer des mesures de scurit, empcher les spams et les abus; et. Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. Having received numerous international accolades and awards, Nakajjigo came to the United States to further her education, where she met Michaud a video streaming technology solution architect via a dating app. Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. Esther Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud). The closing arguments came after five days of trial that included testimony from Nakajjigo's family, friends and mentors, as well as from bystanders who witnessed the accident. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a . They were driving toward the exit when suddenly a gust of wind lifted a metal gate and the arm swung into the roadway. 45 Join Insider . But on Friday, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson tried to give Michaud some peace of mind. Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigos earnings potential. One of his regrets is not saying, "I love you," one more time. 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. Fox13 reports the metal. Join Outside+ to get Outside magazine, access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. One, Saving Innocence, depicted teenage girls from urban areas helping teen moms in rural communities go back to school. She added that the plaintiffs' assumption that Nakajjigo would have taken a salary "far in excess" of most nonprofit CEOs is "simply contrary to everything the court has heard about her," Berndt said. It claims three other people have died from similar incidents involving gates in the last 32 years. Nakajjigo also created a reality television show in Uganda focused on helping teenage mothers stay in school and learn life skills. Monday's closing arguments focused heavily on the differences in testimony made by several economic experts, two of whom projected that Nakajjigo would have earned at least $9 million in her lifetime and the third who estimated Nakajjigo would have made between about $750,000 and $938,000. A cruise employee has had his contract terminated after he was allegedly seen filming women from a female bathroom. The tragic accident is now the subject of a wrongful death lawsuit Michaud and Nakajjigo's family are pursuing, in which they argue that the U.S. Park Service was negligent and did not maintain . . Its known for a series of sculpture-like fins and arches made of an orange sandstone that wind and water have eroded for centuries. They had a courthouse ceremony in March, with plans to throw a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. Elizabeth Chuck is a reporter for NBC News who focuses on health and mental health, particularly issues that affect women and children. Its still hard to concentrate, but I try to.. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) 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. "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. Nakajjigo married Denver man Ludovic Michaud in March 2020. They stipulate, however, that the plaintiffs should be awarded $22,508 for Nakajjigo's funeral expenses and $5,000 for Michaud's therapy expenses. What happened during the 2023 Utah Legislature. The 25-year-old human rights activist and newlywed wife was killed on June 13, 2020, in Arches National Park. 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. They wed in a courthouse ceremony in March 2020, three months before her death, and had plans to have a big ceremony in Uganda when it was safe to travel again. Seven people have been rushed to hospital after severe turbulence on a flight led to an emergency landing. 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. She was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. 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. For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. Ugandan newlywed Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was visiting Arches National Park in Utah in June 2020 when she was struck and killed by a metal pole attached to a traffic control gate. Esther Nakajjigo was beheaded after the wind whipped a metal gate round cutting into the passenger side of the car, Esther Nakajjigo with her husband Ludovic Michaud, A picture of the gates that led to the young woman's death. 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.. What awaited them there was as awful as it was unthinkable. Mr Michaud and Ms Nakajjigos family have filed a lawsuit in a US court accusing the National Park Service of negligence, Fox 13 reports. 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. In pink tops and white pants, women celebrate free period products becoming available in Utahs state buildings, Proposal to boost Utah bar licenses gets smaller with another round of cuts by lawmakers, Moab, Park City cry foul as Utah lawmakers target rules for vacation homes. The claim, served Oct. 22, is seeking more than $270 million in damages from the National Park Service. Ms Nakajjigo met Mr Michaud after she relocated to the US, where she was awarded the Luff Peace Fellowship by the University of Boulder in Colorado. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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 ruling was. SALT LAKE CITY Ludovic "Ludo" Michaud has tortured himself with a lot of "what ifs?" November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM National parks begin to reopen across the country. The. The federal trial began Monday in Utah, where the husband and family of Nakajjigo are seeking $140 million in damages from the U.S. government, arguing in a complaint that the national park was negligent and failed to properly maintain the gate. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. All times AEDT (GMT +11). The family of a young woman who was killed by a swinging gate at Arches National Park has sued the park service over her death. The familys lawsuit claims when the national parks reopened in April 2020 after being shuttered due to Covid-19, rangers at the national park in Utah didnt 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. Attorneys for the government have not disputed that park officials are at fault but instead have disputed how much the family should be awarded. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her husband in Denver, where she moved to attend a leadership course on a full scholarship. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the. Instead, "the end of the lance-like gate pierced the side of their car and penetrated it like a hot knife through butter." Ms Nakajjigos husband said his wifes death was the worst thing I hope I will ever see. mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. 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. He and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, who had moved to Colorado from Uganda, went to Utah as a welcome break from being quarantined. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential. Ludovic Michaud, the husband of late human rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, has filed a $270 million wrongful death administrative claim against the National Park Service, according to a. She met Michaud on Tinder in 2019, when she was attending a leadership program in Boulder, Colorado. She was named as Ugandas ambassador for women and girls and received an award from the United Nations after she used her university tuition money to start a non-profit community centre that offered free healthcare to girls and women aged 10 to 24. "We respect the judges decision and hope this award will help her loved ones as they continue to heal for this tragedy," added the U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah. She met Ludovic Michaud in Boulder, Colorado, when she went there for a leadership accelerator program in 2019, and the two of them married in March 2020. 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. The administrative claim is a legally required precursor to a lawsuit, which is expected to be filed in about six months. The gruesome nature of Nakajjigo's death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan women's rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. The women's rights activist from Uganda was 25 when, during a camping trip to Arches National Park in June 2020, she was beheaded by a metal gate that blew closed in strong winds and sliced through the side of the car she was riding in. Denver7's Lance Hernandez reports. Donate to the newsroom now. 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, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. At age 17, Nakajjigo was recognized by the United Nations for her work for women, according to the claim. Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. IE 11 is not supported. The U.S. government has admitted responsibility for Nakajjigos death and for the emotional distress inflicted upon her husband, an attorney for the plaintiffs said. The metal gate at Arches National Park, normally secured with a lock, was left untethered. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. US attorneys have said this claim was too speculative to be used as a basis for damages. Esther Nakajjigo was a prominent Ugandan human rights activist who was killed in Utah's Arches National Park in 2020. Michaud and his in-laws are asking a federal judge for $140 million. I felt completely meaningless after losing Nakajjigo, he said. Because neither the U.S. nor Nakajjigos family disputed the facts of the case, the civil suit focused largely on the amount of damages merited. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Picture: Handout The family of a women's rights activist who was decapitated in an accident on a trip with her new husband has sued the US government agency responsible for the park where she died. The United States will pay more than $10 million in damages over the death of Esther Nakajjigo, a prominent . He spoke, too, about the difficulty of sending his wife's body to Uganda in a cardboard box; how only her hands, one of them broken, were visible at her funeral; and how he moved to a new apartment after the accident, unable to bear the reminders of the life he'd shared with Nakajjigo. Esther Nakajjigo was killed at Arches National Park in 2020. 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The family of a womens rights activist who was decapitated in an accident on a trip with her new husband has sued the US government agency responsible for the park where she died. Berndt also said her team can take into account only Nakajjigo's education and earning history at the time of her death, exclusive from the money she raised for charitable organizations. 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. A woman who had married her husband only three months ago has died after a horror crash saw a car park gate swing through the couple's car and cut off her head. Michaud was not injured in the accident, but he was covered head-to-toe in his wifes blood. Photo: Esther Nakajjigo/Twitter. 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. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. I couldnt work properly for a couple of months. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. "This act of selflessness went viral throughout Uganda, and she was featured in numerous magazines and news publications. John Ssenkindu, Esther's brother, told journalists that her sister was hit by a metallic gate of the Arches National Park in the US . Esther Nakajjigo was driving with her newlywed husband on their honeymoon in Arches when an open road gate was swung by strong winds into their rental car. Esther Nakajjigo had been visiting Utah's Arches National Park when she was killed by a gate caught in the wind. He smiled at some points as he shared photos and memories of happier times affectionate birthday cards, silly nicknames, meals cooked together, the rose petals Nakajjigo arranged into the shape of a heart with an "I" and a "U" on either side. The ongoing trial will largely focus on determining the damages that may go to her family and Michaud. 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. Her dreams were just about to come true, Chang said. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "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, as reported by CBS Denver.. $270 MILLION LAWSUIT The end of that trial came Monday, but a verdict is still pending. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgement, [] 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. Something went wrong, please try again later. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. "You bear no responsibility. Continuing her work brings him hope; he's already started a nonprofit in her name, the Esther Nakajjigo Foundation. A federal judge ruled Monday that the U.S. will shell out more than $10 million in damages to the family of Esther Nakajjigo after she was killed in an accident at a Utah national park in. Later, his chin trembled as Nelson delivered the government's apology. The wind whipped a metal gate round which sliced through the passenger door of the car and decapitated Esther. At age 17, Nakajjigo. On Monday, a federal judge in Utah ruled that the U.S. government must pay her family more than $10 million in damages. According to the claim, Michaud, of Denver, and Nakajjigo, a womens rights proponent from Uganda, were exiting the Arches parking lot on June 13 when a metal gate on the entrance road near the visitors center swung into the couples car, causing Nakajigo to be needlessly decapitated.. Even simple tasks like cooking rice stored in a jar that Nakajjigo bought before her death feel paralyzing, he said. minutes. Esther Nakajjigo's horrified husband was driving when a metal gate was whipped round in the wind and cut into the car where she was sitting and beheading her in Arches National Park in Utah, US. The gate had been left unlatched against federal policy for two weeks prior to the tragic accident in June 2020. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigos family, on Monday asked the family to leave when he described the death in gruesome detail. Ms McGinn described Nakajjigo as a prominent womens rights activist who rose from poverty to become the host of a solutions-oriented reality television series in Uganda focused on empowering women around issues such as education and healthcare. What if they had gone on a different day, or left at a different time? FILE Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. I didnt know who she was at first, Michaud, 26, told NBC News in his first interview since Nakajjigos death. 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. 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. Chang expects to file the lawsuit in about six months. It impaled their car and decapitated Nakajjigo. The same year, Nakajjigo was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. What if he hadn't suggested the trip to Arches? Michaud, Nakajjigo's husband, spoke about the intense trauma he's endured since his wife's death, including sleeplessness, nightmares and suicidal ideation. According to NBC, the claim was served Oct. 22, and 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.. 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. 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. The National Park Service did not respond to repeated inquiries from NBC News, nor did Arches National Park Chief Ranger Scott Brown. 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. Nakajjigo created a reality TV show that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. He no longer has a TV in his apartment because the sight of any blood is triggering, he said. The National Park Service has not commented in relation to the new lawsuit but has previously released a statement expressing sympathy for the young womans death. The lawsuit was filed about a year after Nakajjigo was killed in June 2020, when wind apparently caused the unsecured, metal gate on the parks main road to swing around and strike her and her husbands car, decapitating her. Get Toofab breaking news sent right to your browser! Its a fear of erasing her, I guess, when you use something that she bought or that she ate or that we did together.. 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 . Posted at 10:15 PM, Nov 12, 2020 The gate reportedly smashed through the side of the car and struck Nakajjigo . 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. 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. The family had initially sought a total of $270 million in damages, before lowering the amount to $140 -- while the government only wanted to pay $3.5 million. 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. At other points, he dabbed at his eyes; he lived like a student before meeting Nakajjigo, he said, but she turned their apartment into a home. 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. By age 25, when she died, she had accomplished more than most people do in an entire lifetime and had much more to do with her life, court documents state. Matthew McConaugheys wife was among the passengers on board a Lufthansa flight struck by severe turbulence and has described the chaos. He said he didnt deny Nakajjigo was an extraordinary person, but argued it was difficult to speculate what kind of work she would have gone on to do. I know all the parks around Moab Its one of my favourite places in the US, if not my favourite place.. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. All this building towards the $140million in damages. Pour en savoir plus sur la faon dont nous utilisons vos donnes personnelles, veuillez consulter notre politique relative la vie prive et notre politique en matire de cookies. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgement . She was always willing to help, he said. In the opening statements of the wrongful death lawsuit, attorneys representing Michaud and Nakajjigos family recounted the moment Michaud realised his wife had been killed. The familys lawyer Deborah Chang said the gate struck the car so suddenly and was so well blended into the surrounding landscape the honeymooning couple had no chance of avoiding it. But U.S. Attorney Amanda Berndt said while there's no question that the plaintiffs are entitled to a reward, a proper calculation of Nakajjigo's lost earnings must include the possibility that she might have left the workforce at some point for a variety of reasons. IE 11 is not supported. Berndt said her team in no way believes Nakajjigo was an average person, and that using reliable data to estimate her lost earnings isn't a value judgment of Nakajjigo. But now, Michaud said, he returns to an apartment that doesn't feel like a home. 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. 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.. 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. Mail that Nakajjigo has continued to receive after her death has been a stark reminder of the life they should still be enjoying together. 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. Opening arguments began Monday in Salt Lake City in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of a 25-year-old women's rights activist from Uganda who was killed by a wind-blown gate during a camping trip to Arches National Park in June 2020. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually.
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