They had wanted three children. Having received numerous international accolades and awards, Nakajjigo came to the United States to further her education, where she met Michaud a video streaming technology solution architect via a dating app. She met Ludovic Michaud in Boulder, Colorado, when she went there for a leadership accelerator program in 2019, and the two of them married in March 2020. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. Her dreams were just about to come true, Chang said. Courtesy Ludovic Michaud Nakajjigo. "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. The family of a human rights activist killed in a freak accident at Utah's Arches State Park won $10.5 million in damages from the U.S. government. It claims three other people have died from similar incidents involving gates in the last 32 years. 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. It feels lonely, and thats hard. Berndt said her team in no way believes Nakajjigo was an average person, and that using reliable data to estimate her lost earnings isn't a value judgment of Nakajjigo. The 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. 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. The suit was filed last. 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. Recreation areas had recently opened after pandemic-era closures and . Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. When she was 17, she donated her university tuition money to start a private, nonprofit community health center that she named the Princess Diana Health Centre. 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. 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. 2023 EHM Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. 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. Throughout the trial, attorneys debated estimates of Nakajjigos earnings potential. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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,. "You bear no responsibility. Si vous ne souhaitez pas que nos partenaires et nousmmes utilisions des cookies et vos donnes personnelles pour ces motifs supplmentaires, cliquez sur Refuser tout. Esther Nakajjigo, 25, was on a trip to the Utah park with her . The wind whipped a metal gate round which sliced through the passenger door of the car and decapitated Esther. 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. The gruesome nature of Nakajjigos death and the fact that she was a renowned Ugandan womens rights activist drew widespread attention to the case. Cruise staffer fired after shock bathroom act, Passengers injured as turbulence rocks plane. They said you have to lock it or its going to impale a car, so everyone knows, Chang said. Denver7's Lance Hernandez reports. 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.. But on Friday, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nelson tried to give Michaud some peace of mind. Esther Nakajjigo had been visiting Utah's Arches National Park when she was killed by a gate caught in the wind. One series reportedly had a weekly audience of 6.3 million viewers. He was "instantly covered with blood," the complaint says. They had a courthouse ceremony in March, with plans to throw a big wedding in Uganda once it was safe to travel again. It's really a full-time job," he 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. The metal gate at Arches National Park, normally secured with a lock, was left untethered. 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. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the Salt Lake Tribune. 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. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. What awaited them there was as awful as it was unthinkable. SALT LAKE CITY Ludovic "Ludo" Michaud has tortured himself with a lot of "what ifs?" FILE Delicate Arch is seen at Arches National Park on April 25, 2021, near Moab, Utah. 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 . He no longer has a TV in his apartment because the sight of any blood is triggering, he said. 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. "On behalf of the United States, we again extend our condolences to Ms. Nakajjigos friends, family and beloved community. Newlyweds Esther "Essie" Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud visited the park in mid June. Ms Nakajjigos husband said his wifes death was the worst thing I hope I will ever see. "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. 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. 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. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. Our mission is to make sure this doesnt happen again, the husband of Esther Nakajjigo told NBC News in an exclusive interview. Jenkins awarded Michaud $9.5 million; Nakajjigos mother, Christine Namagembe, $700,000; and her father, John Bosco Kateregga, $350,000. McGinn argued that the smaller projections were based on categories of evaluation not allowed for under Utah law. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. On Monday, a federal judge in Utah ruled that the U.S. government must pay her family more than $10 million in damages. Ugandan activist's family awarded $10.5 million for Utah death - Los Angeles Times 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. The amount was far less than the $140 million Nakajjigos family originally sought. Seven people have been rushed to hospital after severe turbulence on a flight led to an emergency landing. The claim she served is legally required before a lawsuit can be filed in court. 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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Esther Nakajjigo and Ludovic Michaud at Arches National Park in eastern Utah. By age 25, when she died, she had accomplished more than most people do in an entire lifetime and had much more to do with her life, court documents state. 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. A lot of things remind me of her, Michaud told the. The French national said he and his wife, who had only been married for three months and lived in Denver, Colorado, had been on a hike and had lunch before driving out of the park. We hope that, in some way, the conclusion of this trial will help with your moving forward.". Get Toofab breaking news sent right to your browser! . 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 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. Mail that Nakajjigo has continued to receive after her death has been a stark reminder of the life they should still be enjoying together. For this work, the United Nations Population Fund gave her the Woman Achiever Award. The family of Esther Nakajjigo accused the National Park Service of negligence for not properly securing the metal gate that killed her. Her mother flew to Utah from Uganda to attend the trial this week. But now, Michaud said, he returns to an apartment that doesn't feel like a home. Though the amount was substantially less than pursued, attorneys representing the family of Esther Nakajjigo celebrated the judgment, saying it was the largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. Estimated read time: 5-6 Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. The National Park Service did not respond to repeated inquiries from NBC News, nor did Arches National Park Chief Ranger Scott Brown. Nothing we can say makes up for your loss. 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.. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. John Ssenkindu, Esther's brother, told journalists that her sister was hit by a metallic gate of the Arches National Park in the US . 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. 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. He noted she had recently worked as a host at a restaurant around the time of her death and didnt have a Bachelors degree. According to a court filing, the National Park Service and Arches National Park created a lethal and undetectable danger with the gate, which turned a metal pipe into a spear that went straight through the side of a car, decapitating and killing Esther Nakajjigo.. The family are arguing that the US Park Service was negligent and did not properly maintain the gates at the entrances and exits to the parks, leading to their loved one's death. Judge Bruce Jenkins said he wants to "examine with care" all the information presented during the weeklong trial. At other points, he dabbed at his eyes; he lived like a student before meeting Nakajjigo, he said, but she turned their apartment into a home. Nakajjigo, who was 25, lived with her husband in Denver, where she moved to attend a leadership course on a full scholarship. Attorney Randi McGinn, representing Nakajjigos family, on Monday asked the family to leave when he described the death in gruesome detail. She was named Ugandas ambassador for women and girls. Instead, Michaud met his wife's family -- who traveled to the States from Uganda -- for the first time just before the trial started. 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. The familys lawyer Deborah Chang said the gate struck the car so suddenly and was so well blended into the surrounding landscape the honeymooning couple had no chance of avoiding it. During the trials opening statements in December, Nakajjigo was described as a pearl beyond price with limitless potential, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Si vous souhaitez personnaliser vos choix, cliquez sur Grer les paramtres de confidentialit. Sign up today. 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. 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. / CBS Colorado. 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. (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.