Nearly a year after Dr. Gabrielle Henry fell roughly five feet through an opening in the Miss Universe stage, the former Miss Jamaica says the accident not only ended her pageant journey but also left her with a traumatic brain injury that continues to impact her life.
According to People, Henry filed a lawsuit on Sept. 21 in Delaware Superior Court against the Miss Universe Organization and related companies, alleging negligence and other claims related to her Nov. 19, 2025 fall during the preliminary evening gown competition in Bangkok, Thailand. The complaint claims Henry was following rehearsed instructions when she stepped into an uncovered, unmarked opening that contained lighting equipment positioned above a concrete base.
“I have no recollection of the fall,” Henry said. “I just know that the bottom of that hole was a concrete base.”
Henry said she was simply following the instructions given to contestants: look toward the cameras, stop at her designated mark, and then turn left when directed.
She lost consciousness immediately after the fall.
Her first memory afterward was briefly regaining consciousness and seeing her mother standing over her before she blacked out once again.
The injuries were serious. Henry suffered a traumatic brain injury that her lawsuit says included a subarachnoid hemorrhage, a frontal lobe hemorrhagic contusion and a subdural hemorrhage—essentially bleeding around the brain, bleeding and bruising in the frontal lobe, and bleeding between the brain and one of its protective coverings.
Earlier medical updates also revealed that she suffered a fracture and facial lacerations.
“Brain injury, it’s one of the most traumatizing things,” Henry said. “I would not wish it on my worst enemy.”
Henry remained hospitalized in Thailand from Nov. 19 through Dec. 10, including time in intensive care where she was kept under constant neurological observation. She eventually returned to Jamaica with a medical escort.
Her recovery continued long after leaving the hospital. Henry has spoken about having to relearn basic physical movements, including walking on her own, while undergoing physiotherapy and continuing with medical monitoring. Nearly a year later, she says intense pain can still leave her awake at night.
The lawsuit claims the hazard could have been prevented before Henry ever took the stage. According to the complaint, intense lighting made it difficult for her to see the edge of the opening, while other contestants had reportedly expressed concerns about the staging and lighting. The complaint also alleges that bright white lights were installed around the stage edges after Henry’s fall.
“I know for a fact I did not trip,” Henry said. “I do think it could have been avoided.”
The Miss Universe Organization previously stated that it covered Henry’s medical, hospital and rehabilitation costs in Thailand, as well as her medically escorted trip back to Jamaica. Henry now claims that support changed once she returned home, saying she has received little communication regarding her ongoing medical expenses.
Miss Universe said it had not received any request for additional medical costs and had not yet been served with the lawsuit, meaning it could not comment on the allegations.
For Henry, the lawsuit comes as she continues working to rebuild both her health and her career in medicine.
“The injuries from the fall took more from me than I can fully put into words,” she said when announcing the lawsuit, pointing to the impact on her career, her opportunity to represent Jamaica and the year she had expected to spend as Miss Jamaica Universe. “I’m filing this lawsuit now because accountability matters.”
