Gabrielle Henry is describing how a fall from the Miss Universe stage left her relearning basic physical abilities and spending months trying to regain the life she had before the accident.
The 28-year-old ophthalmologist and Miss Universe Jamaica 2025 titleholder suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling through an opening in the stage during the preliminary competition in Bangkok on Nov. 19. In a new first-person account shared with People, Henry described severe back pain, headaches, difficulty walking and extended hospital stays in Thailand and Jamaica.
A December joint statement from Henry’s family and the Miss Universe Organization confirmed that she suffered an intracranial hemorrhage with loss of consciousness, a fracture, facial lacerations and other significant injuries. She initially remained in critical condition under neurological monitoring in Bangkok before returning to Jamaica with a medical escort.
Ten months later, Henry’s recovery remains ongoing. She has returned to her medical career on a modified schedule and made several public appearances, including an August return to the Miss Universe Jamaica stage to crown her successor.
Henry Says She Had to Relearn Basic Physical Abilities
Henry said the fall caused a traumatic brain injury and left her unconscious for approximately 20 to 30 minutes. She told ABC News that she has no memory of the fall itself and that one of her first memories afterward was waking to see her mother looking down at her before losing consciousness again.
The injuries affected both her mobility and her ability to think at her usual pace. Henry recalled walking hospital hallways in slippers while supported by a belt held by medical staff because she could not safely move without assistance.
She also used an incentive spirometer while recovering from serious respiratory complications. After months of intense workouts preparing for Miss Universe, simply raising the device’s indicators became a measure of progress.
Henry spent periods confined to bed and needed assistance bathing, while physiotherapy became one of the parts of the day she most anticipated. She continues to experience episodes of severe pain and told ABC News that there have been nights when the pain prevented her from sleeping.
“Recovery has not been easy. And it isn’t over,” Henry wrote.
Her Rehabilitation Continued After She Returned to Jamaica
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Henry returned to Jamaica under medical escort and continued receiving hospital treatment there. In February, she shared some of the first photographs from her recovery.
She thanked the neurosurgeons, neurologists, nurses and physiotherapists who treated her in both countries and wrote that the experience had “redefined restoration and renewal” for her.
By March, Miss Universe Jamaica organizers confirmed that Henry had been discharged from inpatient care but remained under her medical team’s supervision. At that point, she had not resumed official pageant duties.
Before competing at Miss Universe, Henry was working in ophthalmology and had founded the See Me Foundation, which advocates for people with visual impairments. Earlier recovery updates said she had been unable to resume her ophthalmology residency, and Henry later told ABC News that she had feared the injuries could cost her the medical career she had worked toward.
She has since returned to work on a modified schedule while remaining in close contact with her medical providers.
Henry Returned to Public Life Before Crowning Her Successor
Henry made her first public appearance after the accident on May 16 at the Integrity Children’s Fund’s Dinner en Rouge Gala in Atlanta.
She addressed the audience while seated onstage and acknowledged that her recovery was still prolonged. Henry said she attended because she wanted to support the organization’s work on children’s literacy despite her continuing medical limitations.
Three months later, she returned to the Miss Universe Jamaica pageant. Henry attended the Aug. 23 Grand Coronation at the AC Hotel Kingston wearing her crown and sash and crowned Celene Hall as Miss Universe Jamaica 2026.
Henry said months of recovery had prevented her from spending time with the new contestants in the way previous titleholders had. Returning for the coronation allowed her to complete her final duty as queen and speak with the women following the path she had taken a year earlier.
Hall received the crown from Henry after competing against 32 other contestants and will represent Jamaica at the next Miss Universe competition.