Gabrielle Henry, Miss Universe Jamaica, has initiated legal proceedings against the Miss Universe Organization, seeking reimbursement for medical expenses tied to her fall during last year’s pageant.
The injuries required a seven-day stay in intensive care, followed by months of hospitalization as she worked toward recovery. While she has made progress physically, she continues to face enduring challenges.
She is now pursuing damages and holding the organization responsible for the fall.
Henry endured months of rehab in several hospitals after suffering a severe fall during the preliminary portion of the 74th Miss Universe pageant in Bangkok, Thailand.
Raul Rocha, co-owner of Miss Universe, kept fans informed about Henry’s condition until she could address the public herself.
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“It felt as if I had just been born again, relearning my most basic bodily functions,” she told People in an op-ed about her lawsuit.
On Monday, Sept. 21, Henry filed a lawsuit in the Delaware Superior Court against the organization and its parent companies, JKN Legacy Inc. and Legacy Holding Group USA. She accused them of negligence and failing to provide adequate stage safety after her fall.
Henry, who filed the complaint in Delaware Superior Court, brought five claims against the defendants. Those include negligence, premises liability, negligent hiring, retention, and supervision; negligent infliction of emotional distress; and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
In court documents obtained by the outlet, she claims harsh lighting made it difficult to see the “unmarked and uncovered opening in the stage.” She fell more than five feet in that area on top of lighting equipment and concrete.
During the November 19 incident, multiple videos show Henry gliding across the black stage in a sparkling orange gown. Keeping eye contact with the audience as she strutted across, Henry suddenly fell off an edge of the stage.
Audience members gasped and stood as dozens of crew members quickly ran over to her. She was lifted out of the hole on a stretcher and taken to a nearby hospital.
Henry suffered serious injuries that included a “traumatic brain injury with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage, frontal lobe hemorrhagic contusion, and subdural hemorrhage.”
She spent months recovering in the hospital. Even after her March release, she still battles “neurological and cognitive symptoms,” according to her lawsuit. Her current state has left her “unable to resume her medical residency.”
In an exclusive interview with People about her painful recovery, Henry described her stays at hospitals in Thailand and later in Jamaica as “disorienting.”
Henry said it was difficult walking through the hospital hallway without assistance. She needed a belt to support her as she walked at times.
“Instead of rigorous physical preparation for pageant events, my new daily workout became breathing in as forcefully as I could with an incentive spirometer,” she added.
Henry had to remind herself to be patient and give her body a chance to recall its former abilities.
She later added, “I’ve transformed from student to doctor to patient, and I am trying to move forward again by continuing my career on a modified schedule and with my providers on speed dial.”
Henry claimed the bright stage lighting “illuminate[d] the edging.” She added that other contestants had also complained about the lights
She called the defendants “wanton, reckless, and in conscious disregard of the safety of Plaintiff and the other contestants.”
The Miss Universe Organization said it had not received the lawsuit or been subpoenaed. As a result, it said it could not comment on Henry’s claims.
The organization pointed to MGI and Miss Universe Thailand as the parties responsible for the 74th Miss Universe competition. It said those responsibilities included the lighting, staging, production entities, venue, and on-site safety.
Henry acknowledged that MGI handled staging, lighting, and safety. But the Miss Universe Organization “retained and exercised control over the manner and means.”
Defending its handling of the crisis, the Miss Universe Organization stated, “When those parties failed to cover Ms. Henry’s hospital expenses and left her unattended, the Miss Universe Organization stepped in and paid them, despite having no obligation to do so.”
Executives say they also covered her follow-up treatment at a specialized medical facility in Jamaica, following her hospital stay in Thailand.
While the organization also offered Henry an official post as a Miss Universe Goodwill Ambassador, representatives confirmed that she has yet to respond. Fans responded in the comments with mixed reactions.
One commenter wrote, “Bless her heart—she endured so much, and I’m glad she’s recovered as much as she has; I wish her the best.”
Another commented, “It’s their fault. There shouldn’t have been a hole on the runway for someone to fall through. Even if she didn’t see it, why have a hole on the runway? Someone should have planned that better.”
A third user wrote, “Unless all the others fell through the hole, it’s on her. Being an ophthalmologist and not spotting a big hole is ironic.”
At the time of the incident, the Miss Universe Organization initially declined to comment, while a representative for host organization Miss Grand International suggested Henry shared blame for the fall.
MGI officials stated, “The incident occurred primarily because she missed her blocking and may not have been looking at the runway while walking. However, no one from MGI blamed her.”
Henry praised the organization, saying it’s still a stepping stone for some ladies looking to step out their comfort zone. But her return in the pageant is unknown at the time.
