Nakajjigo, adds CBS, had grown up in poverty. "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. 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. 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 moved to Boulder, Colorado when she was offered a full scholarship to the Watson Institute and began a social entrepreneurship program in 2019. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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 November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM 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. Arches National Park is best known for its The pair married in March of this year. ", First published on November 13, 2020 / 7:49 AM. The park was at capacity and it was just after 8 a.m. National parks want to This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. He is seeking a little more than $240 million in damages, while Nakajjigos parents are seeking $30 million. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. According to the family's claim, three other people have died from similar accidents with unsecured gates over the past 32 years. Newlywed killed by swinging gate at Arches, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Bay Area weather: After thunderstorms and hail, snow could be on the way this weekend, Newlywed killed by swinging gate at Arches National Park, 1 killed when business jet encounters severe turbulence, Bay Area honeymooners say snorkel boat abandoned them off Maui coast, At least 26 killed in fiery train crash in Greece, If it was your child, when would you give up? Mother searches for 5-year-old son swept away in January floods, Online fundraiser emerges for Brentwood father who died while kayaking. Instead, the familys civil lawsuit largely focused on the amount of damages merited. 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. 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. The show saw an audience of 6.3 million each week, and Nakajjigo was named Ugandas Young Personality of the Year.. The three people involved were related, Brown said. WebThis incident happened June 13 just before 2 p.m. as the couple were leaving the park, according to the claim. All rights reserved. The claim argues that an $8 padlock or proper maintenance would have prevented the death. They were married in March 2020 and headed to Arches on a belated honeymoon as soon as the park reopened from its coronavirus shutdown. For want of an $8 basic padlock, our world lost an extraordinary warrior for good, the lawsuit said. WebMOAB, Utah Ludo Michaud heard a loud noise. 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. 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 She and Michaud were married in March. 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. "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.". We loved getting out and going to beautiful places," Michaud said. At 17, She was named an Ambassador for Uganda's Women girls by nonprofit organization IREX. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against the US National Parks Service seeking $270million in damages. She was consistently working to improve the lives of women in Africa and beyond. / CBS Colorado. 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. 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. 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 She moved to Boulder, Colorado, to attend the Watson Institute, a program for young entrepreneurs and innovators. Both of Nakijjijo's parents, who listed their addresses as Kamapala, Uganda, have also filed wrongful death claims. Trademark and Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. She was best known for a reality show in Uganda that reached millions of viewers. 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. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. A lot of people just want to continue that because thats what she would have wanted from us.. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. While the Nakajjigo family had initially sought more in compensatory damages, their attorneys celebrated the judgment, saying that it isby farthe largest federal wrongful death verdict in Utah history. GRAND COUNTY, Utah A 27-year-old Denver man filed a wrongful death claim against the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) on Oct. 22 after it says his wife was decapitated by a vehicle gate at Arches National Park in Grand County, Utah. WebEsther Nakajjigo was killed at Utahs Arches National Park when a metal pipe from a swinging gate decapitated her. 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. Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos.. On October 22, Michaud filed a wrongful death claim against No An official form of the United States government. Michaud is seeking $240 million in damages and Nakajjigo's parents are seeking $30 million. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. "Despite this fact, the NPS has done nothing to ensure the safety of its visitors and guests.". He told NBC that the harrowing accident has left him traumatized, and he continues to suffer from PTSD months after. The young Ugandan human rights activist was decapitated by an unsecured metal gate on the periphery of Arches National Park. He didn't know Nakajjigo had a massive following in her native Uganda. 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. (CCA-BY-2.0). 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. 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. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. The show had an audience of 6.3 million every week. WebHikers walk beside the Delicate Arch at sunset in the Arches National Park near Moab, Utah on April 21, 2018. The claim says the gate was left open and unrestrained, causing major damage to the hood and the front passenger fender, door and window. Image via Wikimedia Commons via Flickr/user: Brian Turner. 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. 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. 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. The United Nations Population Fund gave her a Woman Achiever Award when she was 17, and she was named Ugandas Ambassador for Women and Girls at the ceremony. Park staff told investigators that the gates own weight usually kept it in place, according to a report from the Grand County sheriffs office. Last updated: August 16, 2022 Was this page helpful? We just dont want this to ever happen again, Michaud said in an interview Thursday. "The end of the gate impaled the car like a lance, and literally beheaded his newly-wed bride right in front of him.". 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. 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 societys future Princess Diana, Philanthropist Melinda Gates or Oprah Winfrey, according to the claim, which is a precursor to a formal lawsuit. 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 through the side of their car like a hot knife through butter, according to the administrative claim, which was filed in October. They headed to Arches National Park as soon as the park reopened in June from its coronavirus shutdown. Traffic may back up between the entrance station and US 191. The gate is just before the visitors center as drivers leave the park, near Moab, Utah. ", The widower described his late wife as someone who was "always willing to help.". Her family is filing a $270 million wrongful death claim against the park, saying her death was preventable. A video of the crash shows Michaud was driving and Nakajjigo was A gust of wind apparently dislodged the arm of the metal gate, which swung across the roadway. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. 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 previously worked as a crime reporter at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in Pennsylvania and the Chattanooga Times Free Press in Tennessee. They married about three months prior. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! 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. We take pride in exposing the hypocrisy of corporations, other organizations, and individuals whose actions put innocent people in harms way. "The National Park Service has, in face, known for decades that an unsecured metal pipe gate creates an undetectable hazard and dangerous conditions," says the claim. Arches National Park is best known for its pristine sandstone arches and its massive red Delicate Arch, which has featured in countless Instagram photos. Ryan Farrick is a freelance writer and small business advertising consultant based out of mid-Michigan. This photo was taken in the hours before a gate swung into the couple's car, killing Nakajjigo. The webcams below provide views from either end of the Arches National Park entrance road. More by The Associated Press, Got a story tip?