I found her really interesting. Esther was born April 16, 1995. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good," the claim continues. Nakajjigo, 25, was a Ugandan human rights activist and moved to Colorado in 2019 to attend the Watson Institute in Boulder. She was also awarded a full scholarship from the king of Buganda. Everything reminds Michaud of Nakajjigo. Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a womens rights champion in Uganda. The same year, Nakajjigo was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. View of the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. At age 17, Nakajjigo. At age 17, Nakajjigo was recognized by the United Nations for her work for women, according to the claim. Heading out the door? The gruesome nature of Nakajjigos death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan womens rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. 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. I felt completely meaningless after losing Nakajjigo, he said. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? She earned numerous global awards and traveled to the U.S. to further her education, the newspaper reported. 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.. Theres a newsletter that went out to all the parks and the National Park Service that warned of this decades ago. Mail that Nakajjigo has continued to receive after her death has been a stark reminder of the life they should still be enjoying together. A federal judge this week awarded $10.5 million to the family of a Denver woman. Michaud's wife, Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was a celebrated human rights activist in her home country of Uganda. The suit was filed last week in federal court in Denver by the widower and parents of Nakajjigo. / CBS/AP. Sign up for service and obituary updates. 'Shadow pandemic': Women, girls bear unequal share of Covid-19 burden, U.N. official warns, National parks begin to reopen across the country. Initiative by the late @nakajjigo | https://t.co/hMEUS3a5uj pic.twitter.com/OBhxkiPqPZ, Urban Television (@UrbanTVUganda) October 25, 2020. Download the app. 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. The plaintiffs contend multiple federal policies require such gates to be secured, but that the gate near the visitors center at Arches was unlatched for two weeks before it struck Nakajjigo. Liability is the exception rather than the rule, Kozlowski said. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. 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. They had a courthouse ceremony in March, with plans to throw a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again. The suit does not specify the amount the plaintiffs are seeking, though it accuses park staff of negligence. Michaud hopes he and Nakajjigos family can continue her legacy. She was always willing to help, he said. I didnt know who she was at first, the 26-year-old expressed to NBC News. It impaled their car and decapitated Nakajjigo. SALT LAKE CITY The family of human rights activist Esther Nakajjigo, who was decapitated in an accident in Arches National Park, has sued the National Park Service. The family of Esther Nakajjigo accused the National Park Service of negligence for not properly securing the metal gate that killed her. In June, the couple needed a break from quarantine, so they drove to Utah. 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. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. 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. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. In June, Nakajjigo was visiting the park with her new husband, Ludovic Michaud, Moab Sun News reported. This is not the first time a tragedy like this has happened. 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. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Elizabeth Chuck is a reporter for NBC News who focuses on health and mental health, particularly issues that affect women and children. The claim, served Oct. 22, is seeking more than $270 million in damages from the National Park Service. She received multiple honors for her humanitarian work and was attending a leadership program in Bolder, Colorado, at the time of her death. The Uganda native met Michaud in June 2019 through a dating app in Aurora, Colorado, according to NBC News. "For how majestic these parks are, it's kind of shocking how rudimentary these gates are," she said. Nakajjigo was a performer who used her celebrity to improve the status of women and girls in Uganda. What awaited them there was as awful as it was unthinkable. But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. 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.. Liability, if any, would have to be based on proof of willful wanton misconduct, sometimes referred to as gross negligence.. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Her husband was not harmed, the station added. Her husband was not harmed, the station added. Other reasons for that sum is who Nakajjigo was and what she. Shed come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. The wind whipped a metal. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. 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. 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. @ArielleHarrison https://t.co/YoCT50YObz. 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. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. The metal gate at Arches National Park, normally secured with a lock, was left untethered. The United States will pay family members of Esther Nakajjigo, a Ugandan human rights activist killed in an accident at Arches National Park more than $10 million in damages, a federal judge ruled . Upon leaving, an unsecured metal gate swung into the road, killing Nakajjigo who was sitting in the passenger seat. Her passions included lowering teen pregnancy, as well as creating two reality television shows that empowered women, the outlet reported. Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! 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. 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. "We don't know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. I had a ton of flashbacks. The park service previously issued a statement expressing sympathy to Nakajjigos family. 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. In court, Michaud described his relationship with Nakajjigo as the best time of his life., It feels lonely, and thats hard. We asked the Park Service about the swing gates and were told that both sides are now padlocked when in the "open" position. She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart, said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigos husband. "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. 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. 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. Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time, was needlessly decapitated, according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News. 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. Download the app . "It could have happened to the people in front of us, or behind us," he said. In the court documents filed in U.S. District Court in Denver, Chang described the gates as the same color as the landscape. Michaud and Nakajjigo met over a dating app while they both had recently arrived in the Denver area. 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 familys attorney said in a statement. 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. As they entered the park on June 13, high winds blew the park entrance gate, a swinging pole, back across the highway. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Attorneys representing the U.S. commended her work, yet noted her most recent job was working at a restaurant making $15 per hour. 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. For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. Her dreams were just about to come true, Chang said. Michaud and Nakajjigo had been married for just under three months when they decided to go see the Arches. The pole gate pierced the passenger compartment of the couple's rental car, a Chevy Malibu, and decapitated Esther. Attorney: 'For want of an $8 padlock, woman lost life'. Gate accidents similar to Nakajjigos have happened across the country, according to NBC News. Join Outside+ to get Outside magazine, access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. The horror of Nakajjigo's death is one reason Michaud has filed a claim with the National Park Service seeking $270 million. She also said it should have been installed to swing inwards for incoming traffic, not outwards. 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. At this time, I do not have more information to share.". The Associated Press contributed to this report. She met Michaud on Tinder in 2019, when she was attending a leadership program in Boulder, Colorado. 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. Just as the coronavirus pandemic took hold in the U.S., Michaud, a video streaming technology solution architect who is originally from France, and Nakajjigo decided they wanted to marry. One, Saving Innocence, depicted teenage girls from urban areas helping teen moms in rural communities go back to school. 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. CBS News Poll: How GOP primary race could be Trump v. Trump fatigue. On Monday, a federal judge in Utah . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Ludovic said he knows the suit won't bring his beloved wife back, but he wants to make sure the same type of tragic accident doesn't happen to anyone else. 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. 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. "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. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her husband in Denver, where she moved to attend a leadership course on a full scholarship. Ludovic Michaud and his new wife . In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. No services are scheduled at this time. 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. Esther Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud). She said entrance gates should be locked into place whether they are open or closed. 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 . 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. 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. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo told NBC News in an exclusive interview. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. 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. 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. Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigos earnings potential. Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. Even simple tasks like cooking rice stored in a jar that Nakajjigo bought before her death feel paralyzing, he said. 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. 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. The family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essies projects. 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. Trying To Figure Out How To Move Forward: Widower Of Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate At Arches National Park Struggles After Trauma. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her husband in Denver, where she moved to attend a leadership course on a full scholarship. "I'm trying to be a star, to be able to lighten the lives of the people who feel it's dark," she said. 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. A National Park Service spokeswoman declined to comment on the lawsuit Monday. 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. Nakajjigo was a celebrated human rights activist in Uganda, her home country, Moab Sun News continued. SALT LAKE CITY The United States will pay family members of a Ugandan human rights activist killed in an accident at Arches National Park more than $10 million in damages, a federal judge ruled Monday. He noted she had recently worked as a host at a restaurant around the time of her death and didn't have a Bachelor's degree. After COVID-19 closures were lifted, the newlyweds took a trip to Arches National Park. FOX 13 reported earlier this year how Nakajjigo died June 13, 2020. The family of a woman killed while visiting Arches National Park is hoping they can change the dangerous conditions that lead to her death and continue the philanthropy she inspired around the globe. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Esther Nakajjigo, age 25, of Denver, Colorado passed away on Saturday June 13, 2020. 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. Esther was born April 16, 1995. December 6, 2022 / 9:23 AM She was particularly passionate about reducing teenage pregnancy and created two reality television shows that empowered women. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. IE 11 is not supported. The lawsuit alleges that a simple $8 padlock could have prevented the gate from swinging, and claims the park violated regulations. 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. The National Park Service did not respond to repeated inquiries from NBC News, nor did Arches National Park Chief Ranger Scott Brown. Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time, was "needlessly decapitated," according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News. / CBS Colorado. 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. What happens to First Republic Bank's stock and deposits now? The claim she served is legally required before a lawsuit can be filed in court. But where they disagree, he said, is how much money Nakajjigo raised in her lifetime and how much education she completed. 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. 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. 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. DENVER (CBS4) - The family of a woman killed while visiting Arches National Park is hoping they can change the dangerous conditions that lead to her death and continue the philanthropy she. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center.
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