A video tribute to his wife showed her talking about her name, in an earlier recording. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. 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. 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. Nakajjigo also created a reality television show in Uganda focused on helping teenage mothers stay in school and learn life skills. 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. Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Even simple tasks like cooking rice stored in a jar that Nakajjigo bought before her death feel paralyzing, he said. What awaited them there was as awful as it was unthinkable. Esther Nakajjigo, a Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in Arches National Park in Utah on June 13, 2020. Denver Woman Decapitated By Gate: Family Files $270M Wrongful Death / CBS/AP. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. In the court documents filed in U.S. District Court in Denver, Chang described the gates as the same color as the landscape. An activist's dreams 'were about to come true.' Then, a horrific Esther Nakajjigo died on June 13 after a metal gate swung into a car she and her husband were in and sliced het head off Credit: Handout. Esther Nakajjigo, age 25, of Denver, Colorado passed away on Saturday June 13, 2020. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Activist Esther Nakajjigo dies in the U.S - YouTube "Woman decapitated at Arches National Park, $270 million wrongful death The same year, Nakajjigo was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. Chang has filed a $270 million claim for wrongful death. 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. Its likely the first step in a lengthy federal lawsuit. At this time, I do not have more information to share.". "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. "I don't want anyone or any other family to go through what we've been through," Michaud told CBS affiliate KUTV. "I went from the best time of my life to the worst, in one second," he said. In court, Michaud described his relationship with Nakajjigo as the best time of his life., It feels lonely, and thats hard. There is a lot of small things I miss.. 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. Michaud and Nakajjigo had been married for just under three months when they decided to go see the Arches. 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. They said you have to lock it or its going to impale a car, so everyone knows, Chang said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. One, Saving Innocence, depicted teenage girls from urban areas helping teen moms in rural communities go back to school. She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart, said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigos husband. Im still struggling with that, Michaud said. Esther Nakajjigo: Trial begins for woman beheaded by metal gate in Utah Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Powered by, according to a wrongful death administrative claim obtained by NBC News, Famous Rappers Brother Dies From Apparent Suicide. The suit was filed last . Liability is the exception rather than the rule, Kozlowski said. Download the app. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, Michaud said. 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. Let others know about your loved one's death. Olinger Hampden Mortuary, Cremation & Cemetery, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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.. It claims three other people have died from similar incidents involving gates in the last 32 years. 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.. 'Trying To Figure Out How To Move Forward': Widower Of - CBS News 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. But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. Join Outside+ to get Outside magazine, access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. The same year, Nakajjigo was named Uganda's ambassador for women and girls. 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. The ruling was. Chang expects to file the lawsuit in about six months. Denver woman killed during visit to Arches National Park What happens to First Republic Bank's stock and deposits now? In other words, he added, theres no liability for ordinary negligence. Instead, the Utah park became the site of a horrific accident that killed her. Shes done more at the age of 25 than most people do in their entire lives, she said. Its a fear of erasing her, I guess, when you use something that she bought or that she ate or that we did together, he said. CBS News Poll: How GOP primary race could be Trump v. Trump fatigue. The metal gate at Arches National Park, normally secured with a lock, was left untethered. Its still hard to concentrate, but I try to.. The suit does not specify the amount the plaintiffs are seeking, though it accuses park staff of negligence. But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. Receive a notification when services are updated. The. 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 is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essies projects. Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigos earnings potential. Esther Nakajjigo and her husband were visiting the regions national parks months after their wedding. 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. . 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. Esther Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud). $140M trial begins over death of Ugandan woman killed in Utah park 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. No services are scheduled at this time. Her husband was not harmed, the station added. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. After COVID-19 closures were lifted, the newlyweds took a trip to Arches National Park. She received multiple honors for her humanitarian work and was attending a leadership program in Bolder, Colorado, at the time of her death. 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Trial begins two years after newlywed was beheaded by metal gate at 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. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerhampdenmortuary.com for the Nakajjigo family. 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. She earned numerous global awards and traveled to the U.S. to further her education, the newspaper reported. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. Several dozen per day. Everything reminds Michaud of Nakajjigo. "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.". She said entrance gates should be locked into place whether they are open or closed. The woman I loved and I saw her for just her.. In their legal complaint, Michaud and Nakajjigos parents said the National Park Service was negligent for not maintaining the gate. FOX 13 reported earlier this year how Nakajjigo died June 13, 2020. National parks begin to reopen across the country. Nakajjigo created a reality TV show that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to The Denver Post. IE 11 is not supported. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5 million for Utah death - Los Ugandan activist, 25, decapitated by gate in Utah's Arches National Esther Nakajjigo, a 25-year-old Ugandan human rights activist, was killed in a horrific accident at Arches National Park on June 13, 2020. The claim she served is legally required before a lawsuit can be filed in court. Nelson, the government's attorney, said an appropriate award would be $3.5 million, far less than the $140 million being pursued. Family of Woman Killed at Arches National Park Awarded $10.5M 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. She met Michaud on Tinder in 2019, when she was attending a leadership program in Boulder, Colorado. Her dreams were just about to come true, Chang said. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5M for Utah park death Esther was born April 16, 1995. 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.

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