We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. At just 17, using her college tuition money, she created a nonprofit community health center. A federal judge ruled Monday that the U.S. will shell out more than $10 million in damages to the family of Esther Nakajjigo after she was killed in an accident at a Utah national park in. As they were leaving the park on June 13, 2020, heavy winds apparently blew the metal entrance gate into the passenger side of the vehicle, striking and killing Nakajjigo. Courtesy Ludovic Michaud Nakajjigo. There is a lot of small things I miss.. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax She was also awarded a full scholarship from the king of Buganda. Everything reminds Michaud of Nakajjigo. 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 of Esther Nakajjigo accused the National Park Service of negligence for not properly securing the metal gate that killed her. Photo: Esther Nakajjigo/Twitter. Michaud's wife, Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was a celebrated human rights activist in her home country of Uganda. Esther Nakajjigo (credit: Ludovic Michaud). Donate to the newsroom now. In the opening statements of the wrongful death lawsuit, attorneys representing Michaud and Nakajjigos family recounted the moment Michaud realised his wife had been killed. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. Continuing her work brings him hope; he's already started a nonprofit in her name, the Esther Nakajjigo Foundation. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. What if they had gone on a different day, or left at a different time? Jenkins awarded Michaud $9.5 million; Nakajjigos mother, Christine Namagembe, $700,000; and her father, John Bosco Kateregga, $350,000. One time it was the delivery of her Social Security card; another time, an update on her immigration status. Esther Nakajjigo was decapitated at Arches National Park in Utah after wind swung an untethered metal gate into her car, killing her immediately as her husband sat in the seat next to her. "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. Nakajjigo was a women's rights champion in her home country of Uganda; she founded a nonprofit community health center using her college tuition money, and created two reality TV shows centered around empowering women. 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. Opening arguments began Monday in Salt Lake City in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of a 25-year-old women's rights activist from Uganda who was killed by a wind-blown gate during a camping trip to Arches National Park in June 2020. (Julie Jacobson | AP file photo) A Denver man has filed a $270 million wrongful death claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, against the National Park Service after a metal gate at Arches National Park collided collided with his car on June 13, killing his wife. Newlyweds Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic "Ludo" Michaud, 26, were driving to get ice cream during a camping trip June 13 when a metal gate blew closed in strong winds and sliced . 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. Nothing we can say makes up for your loss. Nakajjigo also created a reality television show in Uganda focused on helping teenage mothers stay in school and learn life skills. In his judgement, Jenkins said the government had provided a more reasonable projection of Nakajjigos earnings potential. Michaud was not injured in the accident, but he was covered head-to-toe in his wifes blood. "I'm doing whatever I can to get better. Nakajjigos remains were flown back to Uganda in August. 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. Estimated read time: 5-6 But on Friday, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson tried to give Michaud some peace of mind. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. Itd be like me pointing a piece of paper to you on its most narrow side. Diana Dasrath is entertainment producer and senior reporter for NBC News covering all platforms. Recreation areas had recently opened after pandemic-era closures and . Fox13 reports the metal. The gate reportedly smashed through the side of the car and struck Nakajjigo . On Monday, a federal judge ruled Ludovic Michaud, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo, will receive $9.5 million, while Nakajjigo's mother and father were awarded $700,000 and $350,000, respectively, per the Salt Lake Tribune. Vous pouvez modifier vos choix tout moment en cliquant sur le lien Tableau de bord sur la vie prive prsent sur nos sites et dans nos applications. Later, his chin trembled as Nelson delivered the government's apology. A woman who had married her husband only three months ago has died after a horror crash saw a car park gate swing through the couple's car and cut off her head. The. 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. Ms Nakajjigo met Mr Michaud after she relocated to the US, where she was awarded the Luff Peace Fellowship by the University of Boulder in Colorado. 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. They said you have to lock it or its going to impale a car, so everyone knows, Chang said. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. Si vous souhaitez personnaliser vos choix, cliquez sur Grer les paramtres de confidentialit. Posted at 10:15 PM, Nov 12, 2020 Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. 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. Michaud hopes he and Nakajjigos family can continue her legacy. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgement, [] "This act of selflessness went viral throughout Uganda, and she was featured in numerous magazines and news publications. 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 was killed at Arches National Park in 2020. US attorneys have said this claim was too speculative to be used as a basis for damages. 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. 45 Join Insider . 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 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. 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. Ms Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludo Michaud, 26, were driving out of the scenic parks carpark when wind caught the unlatched gate and the metal pole on top sliced through the side of their rental car and hit Ms Nakajjigo in the head and neck, killing her instantly. They wed in a courthouse ceremony in March 2020, three months before her death, and had plans to have a big ceremony in Uganda when it was safe to travel again. They had a courthouse ceremony in March, with plans to throw a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again. 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. Pour en savoir plus sur la faon dont nous utilisons vos donnes personnelles, veuillez consulter notre politique relative la vie prive et notre politique en matire de cookies. Mail that Nakajjigo has continued to receive after her death has been a stark reminder of the life they should still be enjoying together. Judge Bruce Jenkins said he wants to "examine with care" all the information presented during the weeklong trial. One series reportedly had a weekly audience of 6.3 million viewers. The ongoing trial will largely focus on determining the damages that may go to her family and Michaud. 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. You wouldnt able to detect it or see it.. Ms Chang described the part of the gate that struck Ms Nakajjigo as being like a metal spear or a lance and hit the car in literally a split second. Sign up today. We dont know with any level of certainty what her plans were, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson said. He and his wife, Esther Nakajjigo, who had moved to Colorado from Uganda, went to Utah as a welcome break from being quarantined. I really wanted to show her Arches, he told Fox 13. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was on a trip to the Utah park with her . Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5 million for Utah death - Los Angeles Times 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. 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A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. According to NBC, the claim was served Oct. 22, and 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.. Nakajjigo, who went by Essie, was a womens rights champion in Uganda. 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. Nakajjigo was killed instantly. Michaud said he and Nakajjigo were two weeks shy of closing on a condo when the accident occurred, with hopes of owning a house down the road. But on June 13, she and her husband needed a break from quarantine and headed toward Arches National Park in Utah. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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. 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. (Athea Trial Lawyers) Esther Nakajjigo is shown in this undated photo. I didnt know who she was at first, Michaud, 26, told NBC News in his first interview since Nakajjigos death. It feels lonely, and thats hard. In his ten-page verdict, U.S. District Court Judge Bruce Jenkins said the government admitted fault and apologized for Nakajjigos death. He has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and has struggled with flashbacks. Nakajjigo was decapitated after wind swung an untethered metal gate into her . I felt completely meaningless after losing Nakajjigo, he said. In opening statements Monday in Salt Lake City, their attorneys said they were seeking $140 million (115m) in damages from the government accounting for Esther's earning potential. Instead, Michaud met his wife's family -- who traveled to the States from Uganda -- for the first time just before the trial started. 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 Mr Michaud and Ms Nakajjigos family have filed a lawsuit in a US court accusing the National Park Service of negligence, Fox 13 reports. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the. Nelson, the governments attorney, has said an appropriate award would be $3.5million (2.9m). 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. Updated: Jan 31, 2023 / 03:49 PM MST. 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. 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. 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. 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. According to the official statement from Wilson Jaga, the communications head for the office of the Ugandan Women and Girls, Nakajjigo was hit by a metallic gate of the Arches National Park due. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. Esther Nakajjigo, a native of Uganda, accomplished more at age 25 than most do in a lifetime. The suit was filed last. Nakajjigo was decapitated after wind swung an untethered metal gate into her car, killing her immediately as her husband sat in the seat next to her. dvelopper et amliorer nos produits et services. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Michaud and his in-laws are asking a federal judge for $140 million. 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 . 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. Her mother flew to Utah from Uganda to attend the trial this week. 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.". She added that the plaintiffs' assumption that Nakajjigo would have taken a salary "far in excess" of most nonprofit CEOs is "simply contrary to everything the court has heard about her," Berndt said. All times AEDT (GMT +11). Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her. The claim she served is legally required before a lawsuit can be filed in court. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo told NBC News in an exclusive interview. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. She was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. IE 11 is not supported. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her husband in Denver, where she moved to attend a leadership course on a full scholarship. 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. 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. For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. 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. afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss en fonction de vos profils de centres dintrt; mesurer lefficacit des publicits et contenus personnaliss; et. 'Shadow pandemic': Women, girls bear unequal share of Covid-19 burden, U.N. official warns, National parks begin to reopen across the country.
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