‘Injuries from fall took more from me than I can fully put into words’

On November 19, 2025, Dr Gabrielle Henry, Miss Universe Jamaica 2025, was participating in the evening gown segment of the preliminary Miss Universe 74 competition in Bangkok. Thailand, when she fell into a nearly five-foot deep hole in the stage. Henry lost consciousness on impact and suffered a life-altering, traumatic brain injury

It was revealed on Wednesday that Henry has filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, through New York City-based personal injury firm Napoli Shkolnik, along with Jamaican-based Ramsay & Partners.

“The injuries from the fall took more from me than I can fully put into words,” Dr Henry, a resident ophthalmologist, stated. “The career I’d worked my whole life for, the opportunity to represent my country, the chance to fully live out my year as Miss Universe Jamaica, and moments with people I love that I’ll never get back.”

A press release stated that intense lighting left her unable to see past the stage’s edge as she followed the stage director towards an unbarricaded hole that contained lighting equipment and a concrete base.

The beauty queen was hospitalised from November 19 to December 10, 2025 and has since had to undergo regular physiotherapy and symptom monitoring with doctors.

“Recovery from a traumatic brain injury doesn’t happen on a fixed timeline, and some days are harder than others. But I’m filing this lawsuit now because accountability matters, and because the platforms we put contestants on need to be completely safe to prevent this from happening to anyone else.”

The lawsuit alleges that after the fall, the stage was modified to add bright white lighting along its edges, a precaution the lawsuit contends should have been in place before Dr Henry ever competed.

“The women representing their countries at Miss Universe deserve to know the stage they are walking across is safe,” said Joseph L. Ciaccio, partner at Napoli Shkolnik.

“Dr Henry suffered a traumatic brain injury after she was directed towards a pit that was neither marked nor barricaded, causing her to fall onto equipment and concrete. The organisation’s failure nearly took her life, and changed it forever.

“We are filing this lawsuit to hold the Miss Universe Organisation accountable and to make sure no one else suffers a nearly deadly injury because safety was an afterthought.”

The Miss Universe 2026 coronation show takes place in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on November 24. Jamaica’s representative, Celene Hall, was crowned last month by Dr Henry.