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. He has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and has struggled with flashbacks. The family of Esther Nakajjigo accused the National Park Service of negligence for not properly securing the metal gate that killed her. Michaud's wife, Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was a celebrated human rights activist in her home country of Uganda. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. In June, the couple needed a break from quarantine, so they drove to Utah. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. Denver7 reached out to he National Park Service to ask about the accident. 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.". Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive 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. 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. 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. She was always willing to help, 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. 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. The Uganda native met Michaud in June 2019 through a dating app in Aurora, Colorado, according to NBC News. December 6, 2022 / 9:23 AM 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. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time, was needlessly decapitated, according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News. Her husband was not harmed, the station added. Esther Nakajjigo, a Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in Arches National Park in Utah on June 13, 2020. According to NBC News, Nakajjigo was named as Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the. If you have a story idea or tip for the FOX 13 Investigative unit, please share it with us below: Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. The lawsuit alleges that a simple $8 padlock could have prevented the gate from swinging, and claims the park violated regulations, CBS Colorado reported. Add a Memory This is not the first time a tragedy like this has happened. 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 the gates at the entrances and exits to the parks, leading to Nakajjigo's death. Even simple tasks like cooking rice stored in a jar that Nakajjigo bought before her death feel paralyzing, he said. The ruling was. Saving Innocence, one of the shows, depicted teenage girls from urban areas helping teen moms in rural communities go back to school, NBC News said. 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. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. The couple, who lived together in Denver, Colorado, were exiting the park on June 13 to get ice cream when a metal gate swung loose and pierced their car, the newspaper continued. She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart, said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigos husband. 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 end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.. In his judgement, Jenkins said the government had provided a more reasonable projection of Nakajjigo's earnings potential. 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. It could have happened to anyone and if nothing is done, its going to happen again, he said. Upon leaving, an unsecured metal gate swung into the road, killing Nakajjigo who was sitting in the passenger seat. How do you measure someone like her? As they entered the park on June 13, high winds blew the park entrance gate, a swinging pole, back across the highway. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Nakajjigo's younger brother John, who traveled from Uganda to the U.S. to be at the trial, told KUTV that life without his sister has been extremely tough, but he is grateful for the opportunity to be at the trial and also meet Nakajjigo's husband for the first time. 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. 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. The couple had been married about three months. 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. 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. At age 17, Nakajjigo. One time it was the delivery of her Social Security card; another time, an update on her immigration status. Powered by, according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News, Famous Rappers Brother Dies From Apparent Suicide. 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.. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerhampdenmortuary.com for the Nakajjigo family. The same year, Nakajjigo was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. 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. Esther Nakajjigo, a native of Uganda, accomplished more at age 25 than most do in a lifetime. Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good," the claim continues. 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. "We don't know with any level of certainty what her plans were," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. Gate accidents similar to Nakajjigos have happened across the country, according to NBC News. Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigos earnings potential. Theres a newsletter that went out to all the parks and the National Park Service that warned of this decades ago. Nakajjigo also created a reality television show in Uganda focused on helping teenage mothers stay in school and learn life skills. 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. Michaud, from France, took a job at a start-up. The park service previously issued a statement expressing sympathy to Nakajjigos family. I felt completely meaningless after losing Nakajjigo, he said. 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. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo told NBC News in an exclusive interview. Michaud, in February, told FOX 13 about the trip to the park. In his judgement, Jenkins said the government had provided a more reasonable projection of Nakajjigos earnings potential. Trying To Figure Out How To Move Forward: Widower Of Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate At Arches National Park Struggles After Trauma. For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. The same year, Nakajjigo was named Uganda's ambassador for women and girls. I really wanted to show her Arches, he said, because I know all the parks around Moab It's one of my favorite places in the U.S., if not my favorite place.. 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 age 17, she used her college tuition money to start a nonprofit community health center, which provided free reproductive health services to young women and girls. "The 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 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. 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. 'Shadow pandemic': Women, girls bear unequal share of Covid-19 burden, U.N. official warns, National parks begin to reopen across the country. 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. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Her dreams were just about to come true, Chang said. "For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good," the claim said. The National Park Service did not respond to repeated inquiries from NBC News, nor did Arches National Park Chief Ranger Scott Brown. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, Michaud said. "I turned my head and saw what I wish I didn't see.". He didnt know Nakajjigo had a massive following in her native Uganda. 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. Nakajjigo married Denver man Ludovic Michaud in March 2020. 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. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. I had a ton of flashbacks. FOX 13 reported earlier this year how Nakajjigo died June 13, 2020. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Heading out the door? Its likely the first step in a lengthy federal lawsuit. 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. National parks begin to reopen across the country. Esther Nakajjigo, a native of Uganda, accomplished more at age 25 than most do in a lifetime. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? She served as an ambassador for women and girls in her native Uganda, and created a reality TV show to combat early pregnancy and forced marriage. 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. Nakajjigos remains were flown back to Uganda in August. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigo's family, on Monday described the death in gruesome detail. Esther Nakajjigo was killed at Utah's Arches National Park when a metal pipe from a swinging gate decapitated her. 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. She met Michaud on Tinder in 2019, when she was attending a leadership program in Boulder, Colorado. 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. 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. Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. Show your support Send Flowers Send flowers or a sympathy gift to a service or family. Its still hard to concentrate, but I try to.. Their economic expert will testify that her death represents a. 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 other words, he added, theres no liability for ordinary negligence. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. Here's how. Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigo's earnings potential. The metal gate at Arches National Park, normally secured with a lock, was left untethered. In court, Michaud described his relationship with Nakajjigo as the best time of his life., It feels lonely, and thats hard. @ArielleHarrison https://t.co/YoCT50YObz. The Associated Press contributed to this report. At 17 years old, Nakajjigo used her college tuition money to start a nonprofit community health center, NBC News reported. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. I found her really interesting. 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. Attorney: 'For want of an $8 padlock, woman lost life'. 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. 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. Jenkins awarded Michaud $9.5 million; Nakajjigo's mother, Christine Namagembe, $700,000; and her father, John Bosco Kateregga, $350,000. She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. "The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Uganda's 'Young Personality of the Year,'" the Denver Post reported. The pole gate pierced the passenger compartment of the couple's rental car, a Chevy Malibu, and decapitated Esther. They said you have to lock it or its going to impale a car, so everyone knows, Chang said. 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.. Im still struggling with that, Michaud said. The suit was filed last . The metal pole forming the top of the gate pierced the passenger side of the car and struck Nakajjigo in the head and neck. The trial over a wrong death lawsuit of a Ugandan activist has begun. Her husband was not harmed, the station added. The complaint also describes how Michaud had to witness the grisly scene. 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. 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. She was particularly passionate about reducing teenage pregnancy and created two reality television shows that empowered women. The horror of Nakajjigo's death is one reason Michaud has filed a claim with the National Park Service seeking $270 million. 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. They were driving toward the exit when suddenly a gust of wind lifted a metal gate and the arm swung into the roadway. I didnt know who she was at first, the 26-year-old expressed to NBC News. 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. Chang expects to file the lawsuit in about six months. Michaud was not injured in the accident, but he was covered head-to-toe in his wifes blood. After requesting that the family leave the courtroom, she recounted the moment Michaud. First published on December 6, 2022 / 9:23 AM. Its a fear of erasing her, I guess, when you use something that she bought or that she ate or that we did together.. It feels lonely, and thats hard. Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. Let others know about your loved one's death. In his ten-page verdict, U.S. District Court Judge Bruce Jenkins said the government admitted fault and apologized for Nakajjigos death. 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. In 2020, Ludovic Michaud was driving with his 25-year-old wife Esther Nakajjigo out of Utah's Arches National Park to get ice cream on June 13 when a metal gate swung into the car and cut her head . But where they disagree, he said, is how much money Nakajjigo raised in her lifetime and how much education she completed. 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 . Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. One, Saving Innocence, depicted teenage girls from urban areas helping teen moms in rural communities go back to school. 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 went from the best time of my life to the worst, in one second," he said. Michaud and his in-laws previously filed a claim with the National Park Service a step toward filing the lawsuit asking for $270 million. "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.". 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. What awaited them there was as awful as it was unthinkable. Elizabeth Chuck is a reporter for NBC News who focuses on health and mental health, particularly issues that affect women and children. The two married in March in a courthouse ceremony and had plans to have a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again, the outlet reported. Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time, was "needlessly decapitated," according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News. "Multiple fatalities" in massive pile-up on Illinois highway, Yellen warns U.S. could default on debt as early as June 1. "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. They had a courthouse ceremony in March, with plans to throw a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again. 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. 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. Esther Nakajjigo. After seeing a pregnant 14-year-old girl die during a difficult delivery, Nakajjigo decided to use her college tuition money to start a nonprofit community health center that provided free reproductive health services to females aged 10-24. 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. "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. But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. Esther Nakajjigo was a prominent Ugandan human rights activist who was killed in Utah's Arches National Park in 2020. There have been gate accidents across the country, including another one on federal government property in 1980 in which a camper in California was impaled by a U.S. Forest Service road closure gate. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Shed come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. On Monday, a federal judge in Utah ruled that the U.S. government must pay her family more than $10 million in damages. 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.. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were vacationing in eastern Utah, visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. 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. 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. 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. 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 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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.. "This act of selflessness went viral throughout Uganda, and she was featured in numerous magazines and news publications. The couple hiked to Delicate Arch and ate lunch in the Windows area before starting their drive out of the park. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
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