The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Ugandas Young Personality of the Year.. death Denver woman killed during visit to Arches National Park Nakajjigo, originally from Kampala, Uganda, used her university tuition money to start a nonprofit organization that provided free reproductive health care to girls and young women when she was just 17. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. "She really loved the Denver vibe and so do I. NEW YORK POLICE SERGEANT FATALLY STRUCK IN WRONG-WAY CRASH. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, died on June 13, 2020 when she, along with her new husband Ludovic Michaud, visited Utah. Arches National Park She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. The show had an audience of 6.3 million every week. In 2018, she participated in the Mandela Washington Fellowship program at Drexel University, and she was also the recipient of the 2018 Luff Peace Fellowship at Watson Institute. However, in his 10-page decision, Jenkins observed that the case was somewhat unusual, insofar as neither the victim nor the plaintiffs were U.S. citizens. Michauds attorneys also said the federal government was aware of the dangers, citing a 1980 accident in which a man was impaled by an unsecured gate as he rode in the back of a pickup in Californias Stanislaus National Forest. Nakajjigo was involved in countless philanthropic endeavors. 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. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. The National Park Service did not respond to an email seeking comment, and the media relations voicemail inbox was full and could not accept messages. She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. The Colorado Sun is a journalist-owned, award-winning news outlet based in Denver that strives to cover all of Colorado so that our state our community can better understand itself. By Thomas Peipert, Associated Press The family of a womens rights activist from Uganda has filed a more than $270 million wrongful death and personal injury claim against the National Park Service after she was decapitated by an unsecured gate at Utahs Arches National Park. Employees knew or should have known that winds strong enough to carve stone are certainly strong enough to blow an unrestrained metal pipe gate into the path of an oncoming vehicle, wrote Chang, who plans to file a formal lawsuit if the claim is rejected.. "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," said Michaud. Widower Struggles With Loss After Wife Decapitated By Gate In WebUSA TODAY 0:00 0:49 Two people died Friday while hiking in Arches National Park in Utah. WebThe 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. death A gust of wind apparently dislodged the arm of the metal gate, which swung across the roadway. She was living in Boulder, Colorado, and attending the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators, when she met Michaud. Several dozen per day. Legal Statement. No An official form of the United States government. More by The Associated Press, Got a story tip? "The NPS have a duty to reasonably inspect, operate, and maintain these gates and guard against foreseeable dangers," the claims says. 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. WebThe family of a young woman who was killed by a swinging gate at Arches National Park has sued the park service over her death. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who was driving. Ryan studied neuroscience and has spent the last several years working as an operations manager in transportation logistics. Nakajjigo was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and started a social entrepreneurship program in early 2019. The lawsuit, adds CBS, observed that the activists death could have been prevented if Arches National Park had simply purchased an $8 padlock for the unsecured gate. Denver man files claim after wife decapitated by Utah park gate Nakajjigo was born in Kampala, Uganda, and used her university tuition money to start a nonprofit community health care center when she was 17, providing free reproductive health services to girls and young women, according to a biography included in the claim. NBC reported that he was flown to Moab Regional Hospital. The most famous arch is the Delicate Arch which Is in Archs National Park. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the claim said. WebVideo of the crash shows Michaud was driving and Nakajjigo was in the front passenger seat as they drove toward the gate at about the same speed as other vehicles, according to a November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM Legal Statement. "The most important thing for me is to try continuing what she's done," Michaud said to The Associated Press. Example video title will go here for this video. The pair married in March of this year. Telling stories that matter in a dynamic, evolving state. just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines, Do not sell or share my personal information. Passionate about international politics and world affairs, hes an avid traveler with a keen interest in the connections between South Asia and the United States. 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. Suspect arrested after 6 stabbed in downtown L.A. 3 arrested for nearly $1 million in stolen student, Carjacking suspect shot in wild chase in L.A. County, Newport Beach home dangling after cliffside collapse, Over $38M stolen from low-income SoCal families, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. It's likely the first step in a lengthy federal lawsuit. WebThe family of a womens rights activist who was killed in a gruesome accident at a national park is suing a US agency over her tragic death. Winter conditions make for slippery hiking; proceed with caution," the tweet said. WebSALT LAKE CITY Ludovic Michaud, of Denver, was driving around the scenic red rock landscapes of Utah's Arches National Park on a windy spring day in 2020 when something "It could have happened to anyone and if nothing is done, it's going to happen again," he said. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. WebWhen I went to Arches National Park in 2021, I got turned around at the gate. As they entered, high winds blew the park entrance gate a swinging pole back across the highway. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! WebEsther Essie Nakajjigo was 25 years old when an unsecured gate inside Arches National Park swung open and impaled the vehicle she was a passenger in, killing her. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. She'd come to Colorado to learn how to bolster her business acumen at the Watson Institute in Boulder. Its near it but not there. Attorney Deborah Chang, who filed the claim on behalf of Michaud, as well as Nakajjigos parents, wrote that the National Park Service has for years used entrance and exit gates made of metal poles with spear-like sharp ends, and they were known to swing into roadways when left unsecured. They married about three months prior. The National Park Service and Arches National Park are accused of not securing the gate, which was installed to swing in the wrong direction and was being held open by a flimsy metal tab that was worn down and rounded, according to the claim. Arches National Park Chief Ranger Scott Brown said a 65-year-old man and 60-year-old woman died after falling Arches National Michaud is seeking $240 million in damages and Nakajjigo's parents are seeking $30 million. Video Shes got quite a few projects started, and we need to make sure those projects survive after her. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. We loved getting out and going to beautiful places," Michaud said. (CCA-BY-2.0). Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. The family is hoping to use money from the case to continue Essie's projects. The claim argues that an $8 padlock or proper maintenance would have prevented the death. She married Michaud in March, just as COVID-19 was starting to make U.S. headlines. Webcams Produced by the Discovery Channel, this video highlights the geological marvels and cultural history of both Arches and Canyonlands, with footage of the spectacular and challenging red rock wilderness surrounding them. Market data provided by Factset. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Lawmakers targeting hospital facility fees, (720) 263-2338 Call, text, Signal or WhatsApp, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. We are unapologetic in our dedication to informing the public and unafraid to call out those who are more focused on profits than peoples safety. At 17, She was named an Ambassador for Uganda's Women girls by nonprofit organization IREX. Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic Michaud, were on vacation in eastern Utah, visiting national parks across the region several months after their wedding. Family of Woman Decapitated by Swinging Gate at State Park Arches National Park, notes CBS News, had just re-opened recreation following a decrease in coronavirus cases. The claim also argues that NPS regularly uses gates constructed "out of metal pipes with spear-like sharp ends," and that Arches National Park had "a set of these metal pipe gates with lance-like sharp ends at the entrance/exit of the park. All rights reserved. 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, attorney Randi McGinn said in a statement announcing the award. Ludovic Michaud says that his wife, 25-year-old Esther Nakajjigo, was decapitated when a metal gate swung into their 2020 Chevy Malibu as they were leaving the park on June 13, 2020, according to the claim. Ludovic Michaud was driving around the scenic red rock landscapes of Utah's Arches National Park on a windy spring day in 2020 when something unthinkable happened: A metal gate whipped around, sliced through the passenger door of his car and decapitated his new 25-year-old wife, Esther Nakajjigo. Nakajjigo was born in Kampala, Uganda, and used her university tuition money to start a nonprofit community health care center when she was 17, providing free reproductive health services to girls and young women, according to a biography included in the claim. A YOUNG activist hailed as a "future Princess Diana or Oprah" for her work was decapitated in a gruesome accident while she and her husband were hiking in Arches National Park. WebThey said claims by the family's lawyers that Nakajjigo, who was 25 at the time of her death, was on track to be a nonprofit CEO shortly were too speculative to be used as a basis for Park staff told investigators the gate was usually left unsecured, and that typically the gates own weight kept it in place, so it was not locked in place by any other means. 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. She and Michaud were married in March, and the two traveled to Arches to celebrate the one-year anniversary of when they first met on a dating app. ", First published on November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM. ", "What he saw and experienced that day, I cannot even imagine," said Deborah Chang, an attorney representing Michaud and the Nakajjigo family. Esther Nakajjigo a human-rights advocate from Uganda who was studying at a leadership institute in Colorado was killed instantly in the June 13 incident. She was also named Uganda's Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony; just a few of her numerous humanitarian awards. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.". Michaud's claim alleges that if the gate had been properly installed or an $8 padlock had been placed to secure it from swinging, the world wouldn't have lost "a young woman influencer destined to become our society's future Princess Diana, Philanthropist Melinda Gates, or Oprah Winfrey. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, tragically died on June 13 after a metal gate swung into the car she and her 26-year-old husband Ludovic Michaud were driving as they exited the parking lot of the Utah landmark. A video of the crash shows Michaud was driving and Nakajjigo was The National Park Service has, in fact, known for decades that an unsecured metal pipe gate creates an undetectable hazard and dangerous condition for its park invitees, the claim reads, noting three other instances since 1988 in which people in cars were killed by such gates. Arches National Park is best known for its Attorneys representing the victims family asked the court to award an estimated $140 million, whereas the U.S. government argued that $3.5 million would be more appropriate and comparable to similar awards in similar claims. The gate narrowly missed Michaud, who is originally from Paris but now lives in Denver. He said he didn't deny Nakajjigo was an extraordinary person, but argued it was difficult to speculate what kind of work she would have gone on to do. "She was very strong personality, really funny, really smart," said Ludovic Michaud, Essie Nakajjigo's husband. 2 injured, including officer, in Aurora crash, 2 hurt, including officer, in rollover crash, Documentary featuring local family coping with loss after suicide aims to open up conversations, 77 inches of snow fall at Colorado ski area in 9 days, Mandela Washington Fellowship program at Drexel University, Luff Peace Fellowship at Watson Institute, Search of Aurora house in case of missing teen Lashaya Stine continues, Head brewer at Denver Beer Co. dies in climbing accident. A gavel. Denver newlyweds trip to Arches National Park ends with wifes Nakajjigo gained national attention in Uganda and created a reality TV show that helped child mothers stay in school and develop life skills, according to the claim. Denver woman Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo and her husband, Ludovic "Ludo" Michaud, were visiting Arches National Park in mid-June when a freak accident left Nakajjigo dead. She received numerous other humanitarian awards and created a popular reality television series aimed at empowering young mothers. This story has been updated to correct Michauds age. You may experience delays during the busy season between March and October and on holiday weekends. WebMOAB, Utah Ludo Michaud heard a loud noise. The newlyweds were driving during a camping trip on June 13, when a strong gust of wind blew an unsecured metal gate that sliced through the side of their car and decapitated Nakajjigo. Newlyweds Esther Essie Nakajjigo, 25, and Ludovic Ludo Michaud, 27, were driving out of the park during a camping trip on June 13 when strong winds blew the metal gate into the side of their car and penetrated it like a hot knife through butter, according to the administrative claim, which was filed in October. An activist's dreams 'were about to come true.' Then, a horrific Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The family of a womens rights activist from Uganda has filed a more than $270 million wrongful death and personal injury claim against the National Park Service after she was decapitated by an unsecured gate at Utahs Arches National Park. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Arches National Park is a 120-square-mile desert landscape near Moab, Utah, that is visited by more than 1.5 million people annually. DENVER (AP) The family of a womens rights activist from Uganda has filed a more than $270 million wrongful death and personal injury claim against the National Park Service after she was decapitated by an unsecured gate at Utahs Arches National Park. The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Ugandas Young Personality of the Year,' the Denver Post reported in a 2020 article detailing Nakajjigos death. "She's got quite a few projects started, and we need to make sure those projects survive after A lot of people just want to continue that because that's what she would have wanted from us.". "The woman I loved and I saw her for just her.". Park staff told investigators that the gates own weight usually kept it in place, according to a report from the Grand County sheriffs office. She's been a reporter since 2012, focused on criminal justice, breaking news and enterprise. The three people involved were related, Brown said. WebIn 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 / CBS Colorado. WebThe photo in this video of the arch is Corona Arch and I dont its in Archs national park. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the lawsuit said. "I had a ton of flashbacks. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Nakajjigo grew up in Uganda and at 17 was recognized by the United Nations for her work for women shed donated her college tuition money to start a nonprofit community health center that provided free reproductive health services to young women. Gate future Oprah or Princess Diana Claim says gate penetrated car of a Denver man and his new wife during a strong windstorm at Utahs Arches National Park. Fox News Flash top headlines for December 6. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. All rights reserved. The gate barely missed Michaud. Webcam Entrance Station Webcam Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigo's family, on Monday described the death in gruesome detail.
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