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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 . You wouldnt able to detect it or see it.. The last thing she said to him was, "Babe, I had the best time of my life." Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. I know all the parks around Moab Its one of my favourite places in the US, if not my favourite place.. 72 Join Insider . Outside's long reads email newsletter features our strongest writing, most ambitious reporting, and award-winning storytelling about the outdoors. Family awarded $10.5M in Utah park death | Las Vegas Review-Journal She met Michaud on Tinder in 2019, when she was attending a leadership program in Boulder, Colorado. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. Newlyweds Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud visited the park in mid June. November 12, 2020 / 2:34 PM Human rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on June 13, 2020, when a traffic control gate blew into her rental car at Arches National Park in the US state of Utah. The family of a human rights activist killed in a freak accident at Utah's Arches State Park won $10.5 million in damages from the U.S. government. FILE - Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. I couldnt work properly for a couple of months. In his judgement, Jenkins said the government had provided a more reasonable projection of Nakajjigos earnings potential. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death Sign up today. The claim alleged that had park employees used an $8 padlock to secure the gate from moving in the breeze, it could have avoided the victim being "needlessly decapitated.". Esther Nakajjigo was born in poverty in Kampala, Uganda, and rose to become a celebrated human rights activist through her work focusing on preventing teen pregnancy. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan activist who'd moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder, died June 13, 2020, while visiting the park with her husband of two "This act of selflessness went viral throughout Uganda, and she was featured in numerous magazines and news publications. 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, 25, was on a trip to the Utah park with her . "On behalf of the family, we are very appreciative of the judge's attention to detail, the time he spent working on this, and for the value he put on the loss to this family of Essie," added Littlepage. Updated: Jan 31, 2023 / 03:49 PM MST. 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. 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. But on Friday, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson tried to give Michaud some peace of mind. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death The family of a Ugandan young girl child activist, Esther Nakajjigo who died in the United States of America (USA) have asked government to help them repatriate her body, to be accorded a decent burial. deductible, Report a missed paper by emailingsubscribe@sltrib.comor calling801-237-2900, For e-edition questions or comments, contact customer support801-237-2900or emailsubscribe@sltrib.com. Trial begins two years after newlywed was beheaded by metal gate at 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. Nakajjigo also created a reality television show in Uganda focused on helping teenage mothers stay in school and learn life skills. Michaud's wife, Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was a celebrated human rights activist in her home country of Uganda. Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a womens rights champion in Uganda. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park 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. 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. The smaller projection takes into account only the averages of a statistical black woman, she said; while the higher projections factor in that Nakajjigo was a real, extraordinary person. 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's family sued the government for the largest federal award ever asked for in both state and national history, according to plaintiffs' attorney Randi McGinn, seeking $140 million in damages. 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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.. 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. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death They stipulate, however, that the plaintiffs should be awarded $22,508 for Nakajjigo's funeral expenses and $5,000 for Michaud's therapy expenses. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. 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 . One, Saving Innocence, depicted teenage girls from urban areas helping teen moms in rural communities go back to school. Additionally, Berndt said the plaintiffs can only speculate on what Nakajjigo might have done had she lived, and the court can't ignore that "in favor of dreams and potential.". Michaud hopes he and Nakajjigos family can continue her legacy. Family of Ugandan philanthropist decapitated by traffic gate in Arches Theres a newsletter that went out to all the parks and the National Park Service that warned of this decades ago. Denver woman's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death "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 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 . Activist, 25, hailed as 'future Oprah or Princess Diana' is The French national said he and his wife, who had only been married for three months and lived in Denver, Colorado, had been on a hike and had lunch before driving out of the park. A newlywed Denver couple's road trip to Arches National Park in Utah this summer ended in . Arches National Park Being Sued For $270M After Gate Decapitated Guest In court, Michaud described his relationship with Nakajjigo as the best time of his life., It feels lonely, and thats hard. 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. By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's. Family of Woman Decapitated by Swinging Gate at State Park Awarded $10. 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.. 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. None. 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. Elizabeth Chuck is a reporter for NBC News who focuses on health and mental health, particularly issues that affect women and children. The metal gate at Arches National Park, normally secured with a lock, was left untethered. 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. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. They were driving toward the exit when suddenly a gust of wind lifted a metal gate and the arm swung into the roadway. 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. 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. She was also awarded a full scholarship from the king of Buganda. "We want you to know, on behalf of the United States, this accident and Essie's death was the responsibility of the United States," Nelson told Michaud. 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. 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. The administrative claim is a legally required precursor to a lawsuit, which is expected to be filed in about six months. Nakajjigo worked on fundraising to open a hospital in an underserved part of Kampala, Ugandas 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 end of that trial came Monday, but a verdict is still pending. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. 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. Family of woman decapitated in Utah national park by swinging gate to Michaud was not injured in the accident, but he was covered head-to-toe in his wifes blood. The newly married Michaud and Nakajjigo took a weekend trip to Arches National Park as a welcome break after months of lockdown amid the pandemic, court documents said. One series reportedly had a weekly audience of 6.3 million viewers. One time it was the delivery of her Social Security card; another time, an update on her immigration status. Credit: AP FILE - Delicate. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death Drenched in his wifes blood, Michaud instinctively jumped out of the slowly moving car after impact, then got back in to put it in park. The family says under federal park rules, similar gates should be secured, but the gate that struck Ms Nakajjigo had been unlatched for weeks, Fox 13 reports. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. 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. US attorneys have said this claim was too speculative to be used as a basis for damages. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. Lindsay Whitehurst/AP Esther Nakajjigo was a Ugandan human rights activist and newlywed wife when the 25-year-old was killed at Arches National Park in 2020, decapitated by an unsecured gate that is now at the center of a wrongful death trial. The family are arguing that the US Park Service was negligent and did not properly maintain the gates at the entrances and exits to the parks, leading to their loved one's death. "For want of an $8.00 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good; a young woman influencer who was destined to become our society's future Princess Diana, Philanthropist Melinda Gates or Oprah Winfrey," read the initial claim from Nakajjigo's husband and family. There is a lot of small things I miss.. You wouldnt able to detect it or see it, she told Fox 13. / CBS Colorado. The family of a women's rights activist from Uganda has filed a $270 million administrative claim against the National Park Service after she was killed by an . $140M trial begins over death of Ugandan woman killed in Utah park 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. But now, Michaud said, he returns to an apartment that doesn't feel like a home. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death 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. "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 Photo: Esther Nakajjigo/Twitter. 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. 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. On June 13, 2020, Nakajjigo, who was riding in the passenger seat as her husband drove them out of the park, was suddenly decapitated when the triangular, metal gate swung around and sliced into their rental car. Esther Nakajjigo and her husband were visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. She was particularly passionate about reducing teenage pregnancy and created two reality television shows that empowered women. 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. in the two-plus years since his wife, Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo, was hit and killed by an unsecured gate while the couple was leaving Arches National Park. Esther Nakajjigo was killed at Arches National Park in 2020. It impaled their car and decapitated Nakajjigo. 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 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. IE 11 is not supported. They had wanted three children. 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. 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. In his ten-page verdict, U.S. District Court Judge Bruce Jenkins said the government admitted fault and apologized for Nakajjigos death. The lawsuit alleges that a simple $8 padlock could have prevented the gate from swinging, and claims the park violated regulations. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death All rights reserved. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death The same year, Nakajjigo was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. One of his regrets is not saying, "I love you," one more time. He and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, who had moved to Colorado from Uganda, went to Utah as a welcome break from being quarantined. Esther Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, pose at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. The claim, served Oct. 22, is seeking more than $270 million in damages from the National Park Service. Nothing we can say makes up for your loss. All times AEDT (GMT +11). Her dreams were just about to come true, Chang said. Nakajjigo donated her own college fund to start a hospital, Berndt said; she raised money for charities and never took a salary. 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. Nakajjigo was decapitated after wind swung an untethered metal gate into her . 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 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. Nakajjigo had been celebrated for using money earmarked for her college tuition to instead open a nonprofit community health center in Uganda at age 17. "I'm doing whatever I can to get better. Twist after newlywed decapitated by gate at national park - Yahoo! Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death Esther Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud). The gate had been unsecured for the previous two weeks, despite national park requirements that prohibit gates from swinging, according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court. Nakajjigo and her husband Ludovic Michaud were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the region's national parks months after their wedding. 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. 'Shadow pandemic': Women, girls bear unequal share of Covid-19 burden, U.N. official warns, National parks begin to reopen across the country. Its known for a series of sculpture-like fins and arches made of an orange sandstone that wind and water have eroded for centuries. 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. We hope that, in some way, the conclusion of this trial will help with your moving forward.". McGinn argued that the smaller projections were based on categories of evaluation not allowed for under Utah law. I really wanted to show her Arches, he told Fox 13. 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. Mr Michaud and Ms Nakajjigos family have filed a lawsuit in a US court accusing the National Park Service of negligence, Fox 13 reports. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death