Beauty pageants can have awkward moments. Maybe a contestant flubs a question designed to test their ability to think on their feet. Or someone's performance in the evening gown or swimsuit segment does not go well. However, for one woman who vied in the preliminary round of the 2025 Miss Universe pageant, the consequences were much more serious. Gabrielle Henry, who was Miss Jamaica, suddenly fell through an opening on the stage.
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Now, per The New York Post, she is reportedly "suing the Miss Universe organization over a brutal stage fall that left her with a severe brain injury, saying the incident permanently altered the course of my life.'"
Henry Allegedly Fell Through an Opening in the Stage
During preliminary rounds that were held in Thailand last November, Henry was serenely making her way across the stage. Everything seemed normal. Nevertheless, at one point, she abruptly drops from sight. In fact, Gabrielle Henry actually plunged into an opening in the stage that was allegedly five feet deep. Per People, Henry has now filed a lawsuit on September 21 against three entities associated with the event. They are reportedly the Miss Universe Organization and a pair of companies, Legacy Holding Group USA and JKN Legacy Inc.
What She Claims
Per People, Henry is claiming in part that the harsh lights hindered her ability to see. Thus she evidently feels that the bright illumination prevented her from noticing the opening in time to avoid it.
In her lawsuit, per the outlet, Henry is allegedly also saying that other women competing in the event were concerned about "the lighting and staging conditions."
Her Injuries Were Allegedly Severe
Gabrielle Henry was knocked unconscious by the fall. She sustained "traumatic brain injury with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage, frontal lobe hemorrhagic contusion, and subdural hemorrhage." Her hospital stay lasted from November 19 to December 10, and Henry alleges that she still has lingering effects. She was a practicing ophthalmologist at the time. The accident apparently also interrupted her medical residency.
The Miss Universe Organization Responded
Per People, the Miss Universe Organization said that they had not to date gotten "any lawsuit, claim, demand letter, or subpoena" from Henry or her representatives. In addition, the organization asserts that it paid Henry's hospital bills, plus her expenses at "a specialized hospital in Jamaica," in the words of the outlet.
