Nationwide — Former Miss Jamaica Gabrielle Henry is suing the Miss Universe Organization nearly a year after a stage fall in Thailand left her with a traumatic brain injury and other serious injuries. The 28-year-old pageant contestant says she delayed the lawsuit while focusing on her recovery, but now wants accountability over what she believes was a preventable accident. She lost consciousness during the preliminary competition at the 2025 Miss Universe pageant in November. Speaking on Good Morning America on September 24, she said she cannot remember the actual fall. Her first memory was waking up and seeing her mother standing over her. She noticed the concern on her mother’s face before blacking out again. Doctors later told her that she had suffered an intracranial hemorrhage, meaning bleeding inside the brain. She also suffered injuries to her face and back.
The fall left Henry struggling with everyday tasks during her recovery. In an essay published by People, she recalled spending time in hospitals in Thailand and Jamaica while feeling confused and dependent on others. She went from confidently walking across pageant stages to needing help simply getting down a hospital hallway. At one point, she could not bathe herself. She also used an incentive spirometer to help rebuild her lung capacity. The recovery forced her to relearn basic physical abilities that she had previously taken for granted.
Henry has pushed back against suggestions that she simply tripped while walking across the stage. She said she followed the directions given during rehearsals, including looking toward the cameras, stopping at specific points, and turning left when instructed. She believes proper safety measures could have prevented the fall. Her lawsuit accuses the Miss Universe Organization of negligence, while her attorney, Joseph L. Ciaccio, said the legal action aims to hold the organization accountable for what he described as a preventable accident.
She also explained why she chose to file the lawsuit nearly a year after the pageant. In a statement released by her law firm, Henry said, “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 Miss Universe Organization said Henry’s health and well-being have always been a priority. However, the organization said it had not received the lawsuit when it issued its statement and therefore could not respond to the allegations. It also said it had not received a request for additional medical expenses.
The organization previously said it accepted full and immediate responsibility for Henry’s care after the fall and paid for her hospital, medical and rehabilitation expenses while she remained in Thailand. Henry acknowledged that she received support during the early stages of her recovery but said communication about her ongoing medical costs became limited after she returned to Jamaica. She continues to deal with medical expenses and physical pain while working toward recovery. She has also begun returning to her work as an ophthalmologist on a modified schedule. Looking ahead, Henry says she wants to continue healing and eventually use her medical career to help children in need.