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. 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. "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.". Other reasons for that sum is who Nakajjigo was and what she. Esther Nakajjigo is a former Uganda activist who was decapitated this summer at the Utah Arches National Park. 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. 2023 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. Newlyweds Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud visited the park in mid June. The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.. Michaud was not injured in the accident, but he was covered head-to-toe in his wifes blood. Powered by, according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News, Famous Rappers Brother Dies From Apparent Suicide. CBS News Poll: How GOP primary race could be Trump v. Trump fatigue. 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. After COVID-19 closures were lifted, the newlyweds took a trip to Arches National Park. 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. But where they disagree, he said, is how much money Nakajjigo raised in her lifetime and how much education she completed. IE 11 is not supported. Nakajjigo was a celebrated human rights activist in Uganda, her home country, Moab Sun News continued. 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. 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 . But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. 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, who was 25 at the time, was "needlessly decapitated," according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News. 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. 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. 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 family of Esther Nakajjigo accused the National Park Service of negligence for not properly securing the metal gate that killed her. 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. She was always willing to help, he said. Join Outside+ to get Outside magazine, access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. View of the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. It claims three other people have died from similar incidents involving gates in the last 32 years. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. December 6, 2022 / 9:23 AM Ludovic's attorney, Deborah Chang, told Denver7 the entrance gate should have been locked open, and not allowed to swing freely. Their economic expert will testify that her death represents a. 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 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. 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. A video tribute to his wife showed her talking about her name, in an earlier recording. Receive a notification when services are updated. 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.. 'Shadow pandemic': Women, girls bear unequal share of Covid-19 burden, U.N. official warns, National parks begin to reopen across the country. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, Michaud said. He has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and has struggled with flashbacks. It feels lonely, and thats hard. November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM "For how majestic these parks are, it's kind of shocking how rudimentary these gates are," she said. 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. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. 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. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. There is a lot of small things I miss.. She really loved the Denver vibe and so do I. Even simple tasks like cooking rice stored in a jar that Nakajjigo bought before her death feel paralyzing, he said. 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. "I've always wanted to meet him, though not in this way," he said. 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. In the court documents filed in U.S. District Court in Denver, Chang described the gates as the same color as the landscape. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerhampdenmortuary.com for the Nakajjigo family. 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. At this time, I do not have more information to share.". 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. On Monday, a federal judge in Utah ruled that the U.S. government must pay her family more than $10 million in damages. 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. 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. 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. 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. Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time, was needlessly decapitated, according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive 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 (credit: Ludovic Michaud) Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. Esther Nakajjigo, a native of Uganda, accomplished more at age 25 than most do in a lifetime. Let others know about your loved one's death. / CBS Colorado. "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. 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. Theres a newsletter that went out to all the parks and the National Park Service that warned of this decades ago. Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. Shes done more at the age of 25 than most people do in their entire lives, she said. At 17 years old, Nakajjigo used her college tuition money to start a nonprofit community health center, NBC News reported. Esther Nakajjigo, age 25, of Denver, Colorado passed away on Saturday June 13, 2020. We asked the Park Service about the swing gates and were told that both sides are now padlocked when in the "open" position. Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. Esther Nakajjigo, a native of Uganda, accomplished more at age 25 than most do in a lifetime. "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. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. IE 11 is not supported. 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. Jenkins awarded Michaud $9.5 million; Nakajjigo's mother, Christine Namagembe, $700,000; and her father, John Bosco Kateregga, $350,000. 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At age 17, Nakajjigo. 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. 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. 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. The metal gate at Arches National Park, normally secured with a lock, was left untethered. Show your support Send Flowers Send flowers or a sympathy gift to a service or family. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places, Michaud said. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The National Park Service did not respond to repeated inquiries from NBC News, nor did Arches National Park Chief Ranger Scott Brown. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. "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. The couple hiked to Delicate Arch and ate lunch in the Windows area before starting their drive out of the park. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her husband in Denver, where she moved to attend a leadership course on a full scholarship. 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. 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. 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. In court, Michaud described his relationship with Nakajjigo as the best time of his life., It feels lonely, and thats hard. Her passions included lowering teen pregnancy, as well as creating two reality television shows that empowered women, the outlet reported. 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 found her really interesting. Add a Memory As they entered the park on June 13, high winds blew the park entrance gate, a swinging pole, back across the highway. The trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. 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 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. I felt completely meaningless after losing Nakajjigo, he said. I couldnt work properly for a couple of months. I didnt know who she was at first, Michaud, 26, told NBC News in his first interview since Nakajjigos death. But rather a sex object, a cola to quench sexual thirst of sex-hungry men who have power and control in the refugee settlements. Her husband was not harmed, the station added. On Monday, a federal judge in Utah . 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. A federal judge this week awarded $10.5 million to the family of a Denver woman. Heading out the door? Esther Nakajjigo. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Trying To Figure Out How To Move Forward: Widower Of Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate At Arches National Park Struggles After Trauma. 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. 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.". 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. What awaited them there was as awful as it was unthinkable. Diana Dasrath is entertainment producer and senior reporter for NBC News covering all platforms. Members get 15+ publications right in your pocket. 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. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. Instead, the Utah park became the site of a horrific accident that killed her. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Most Facebook users can now claim settlement money. 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 . The gruesome nature of Nakajjigos death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan womens rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. Here's how. 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.. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5 million for Utah death - Los Angeles Times Liability, if any, would have to be based on proof of willful wanton misconduct, sometimes referred to as gross negligence.. "Multiple fatalities" in massive pile-up on Illinois highway, Yellen warns U.S. could default on debt as early as June 1. Her dreams were just about to come true, Chang said. They said you have to lock it or its going to impale a car, so everyone knows, Chang said. One time it was the delivery of her Social Security card; another time, an update on her immigration status. 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. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. "Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a women's rights champion in Uganda. Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a women's rights champion in Uganda. Ludovic Michaud was driving around the scenic red rock landscapes of Utah's Arches National Park on a windy spring day in 2020 when something unthinkable happened: A metal gate whipped around, sliced through the passenger door of his car and decapitated his new 25-year-old wife, Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo. Esther Nakajjigo and her husband were visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good," the claim continues. Im still trying to figure out how to move forward, how to wake up in the morning., What he saw and experienced that day, I cannot even imagine, said Deborah Chang, an attorney representing Michaud and the Nakajjigo family. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. 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. I found her really interesting. @ArielleHarrison https://t.co/YoCT50YObz. Nakajjigo accomplished more by age 25 than most people do in a lifetime. "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. 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.. Michaud and his in-laws previously filed a claim with the National Park Service a step toward filing the lawsuit asking for $270 million. Nakajjigo was a performer who used her celebrity to improve the status of women and girls in Uganda. The same year, Nakajjigo was named Uganda's ambassador for women and girls. In June, the couple needed a break from quarantine, so they drove to Utah. "It could have happened to the people in front of us, or behind us," he said. 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. The lawsuit alleges that a simple $8 padlock could have prevented the gate from swinging, and claims the park violated regulations, CBS Colorado reported. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. In his ten-page verdict, U.S. District Court Judge Bruce Jenkins said the government admitted fault and apologized for Nakajjigos death. Olinger Hampden Mortuary, Cremation & Cemetery, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. 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 was killed at Utah's Arches National Park when a metal pipe from a swinging gate decapitated her. Download the app. Shed come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. 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. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. 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 lawsuit alleges that a simple $8 padlock could have prevented the gate from swinging, and claims the park violated regulations. She founded the Princess Diana Health Center, Moab Sun News continued. Please enter valid email address to continue. The suit does not specify the amount the plaintiffs are seeking, though it accuses park staff of negligence. 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. The wind whipped a metal. 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. Nakajjigo married Denver man Ludovic Michaud in March 2020. Esther was born April 16, 1995. 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. First published on December 6, 2022 / 9:23 AM. Twitter Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo told NBC News in an exclusive interview. One, Saving Innocence, depicted teenage girls from urban areas helping teen moms in rural communities go back to school. 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. 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.. Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! 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