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Draft:Gabrielle Henry

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Gabrielle Henry
Gabrielle Henry wearing her Miss Universe Jamaica 2025 sash at Siam Niramit, Phuket, Thailand
Henry at Siam Niramit, Phuket, November 2025
Born
Gabrielle Alexis Henry

1997 (age 28–29)
Kingston, Jamaica
CitizenshipJamaica
EducationUniversity of the West Indies (MBBS)
Occupations
  • Physician
  • ophthalmology resident
EmployerUniversity Hospital of the West Indies
PredecessorRachel Silvera (2024)
SuccessorIncumbent

Gabrielle Alexis Henry (born 1997) is a Jamaican physician and ophthalmology resident at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), Kingston. She was crowned Miss Universe Jamaica 2025 on 9 August 2025 and represented Jamaica at the 74th Miss Universe in Nonthaburi, Thailand. She is the founder of the See Me Foundation, a nonprofit providing educational and economic support to blind and visually impaired people in Jamaica.

On 19 November 2025, Henry fell through an unguarded opening in the stage floor during the preliminary evening gown round at Miss Universe 2025. She sustained an intracranial haemorrhage, a bone fracture, a collapsed lung, and facial lacerations, and was treated in intensive care in Bangkok for over a month before being repatriated to Jamaica in December 2025.[1] As of March 2026, she had been discharged from inpatient care but remained unable to return to her residency.[2]

Early life and education

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Henry was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica. She studied medicine at the University of the West Indies, graduating with an MBBS, and then began specialist training in ophthalmology as a junior resident at UHWI, Mona.[3][4] She is also a trained vocalist and pianist.[5]

See Me Foundation

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Henry founded the See Me Foundation, a nonprofit that provides educational and economic opportunities for blind and visually impaired people in Jamaica.[5][6] The foundation has partnered with UHWI to operate mobile vision clinics across Jamaica's parishes.[7] In October 2025 she participated in fundraising events in Florida in support of the foundation.[7]

Pageant career

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Miss Universe Jamaica 2023

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Henry first entered the Miss Universe Jamaica competition in 2023, finishing in the top six of that edition without winning the national title.[8]

Miss Universe Jamaica 2025

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Henry re-entered the Miss Universe Jamaica competition in 2025. On 9 August 2025, she was crowned Miss Universe Jamaica 2025 at the AC Hotel Kingston, succeeding outgoing titleholder Rachel Silvera.[3][5] She won four sectional awards alongside the overall title: Best Swimwear (tied), Best Personality, Media Challenge Award, and Altruism Award.[3][8] Her prize package included a Hyundai Kona motor vehicle provided by title sponsor Magna Motors Jamaica.[8]

Miss Universe 2025

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Henry represented Jamaica at the 74th Miss Universe pageant, held at the Impact Challenger Hall in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi, Thailand. The competition was organised in Thailand by Miss Grand International Public Company Limited (MGI PCL), whose founder and CEO Nawat Itsaragrisil also held the position of Executive Director of the Miss Universe Organization.[9]

Henry at a pre-competition event in Thailand, November 2025, wearing a black mourning ribbon on her sash

Stage fall

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On 19 November 2025, during the preliminary competition's evening gown round, Henry fell through an unguarded opening in the stage floor while performing her walk before a live audience.[10] She was wearing a sequined orange gown at the time.[11] Her sister, Dr. Phylicia Henry-Samuels, later described the opening as a five-foot deep hole in the stage.[12] Stage crew removed her on a stretcher and she was transported to Paolo Rangsit Hospital in Bangkok.[13]

In statements issued the day after the fall, the Miss Universe Organization president and Thai pageant organizers described Henry's condition as stable with no broken bones.[14] Miss Universe Haiti 2025, Melissa Sapini, told People magazine that a pageant staff member had attributed the fall to Henry not paying attention.[15]

Henry was admitted to intensive care at Paolo Rangsit Hospital under continuous neurological monitoring. Her mother, Maureen Henry, and sister Dr. Henry-Samuels, flew to Bangkok and remained with her throughout her hospitalisation.[4] On 23 November 2025, Dr. Henry-Samuels issued a public update saying Gabrielle "isn't doing as well as we would have hoped" and would remain in the ICU for at least another week, with bleeding and swelling on the brain and a collapsed lung sustained during treatment.[4][12]

Miss Universe Organization response

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On 8 December 2025, the Miss Universe Organization and the Henry family issued a joint statement confirming the full extent of Henry's injuries: an intracranial haemorrhage with loss of consciousness, a fracture, facial lacerations, and other significant injuries sustained through the opening in the stage floor.[1] The Organization stated it had assumed "full and immediate responsibility without hesitation" and had covered all hospital, medical, rehabilitation and repatriation costs, as well as accommodation for Henry's mother and sister in Thailand.[1] It committed to funding all future medical expenses arising from the incident.[6]

The statement confirmed the Organization had "never attributed blame to Dr. Henry" and that suggestions to the contrary were "entirely inaccurate" and "do not reflect the facts."[1]

Recovery

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Henry on a stretcher on her medically escorted return to Jamaica, December 2025

Henry returned to Jamaica in mid-December 2025 on a medically escorted repatriation flight arranged and funded by the Miss Universe Organization, arriving at Norman Manley International Airport in a wheelchair and transferring directly to hospital for continued treatment.[16]

On 13 February 2026, Henry shared photographs from hospital alongside footage of herself doing physiotherapy, including exercise on a stationary bicycle.[17] She credited neurosurgeons, neurologists, nurses and physiotherapists in both Thailand and Jamaica for her care.[17]

By March 2026, Henry had been discharged from inpatient care but remained under close medical supervision as an outpatient.[18][19] Her legal representatives confirmed she had not returned to her ophthalmology residency.[2][19]

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 "Joint Statement from the Miss Universe Organization and the Family of Dr. Gabrielle Henry" (Press release). Miss Universe Organization. 8 December 2025. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Miss Universe Jamaica Gabrielle Henry released from hospital four months after stage fall". Caribbean National Weekly. 21 March 2026. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 "Ophthalmologist Dr Gabrielle Henry named Miss Universe Jamaica 2025". Jamaica Gleaner. 10 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 "Miss Jamaica's sister issues health update after shocking stage fall". Newsweek. 23 November 2025. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 "Dr. Gabrielle Henry crowned Miss Universe Jamaica 2025". Caribbean National Weekly. 10 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  6. 1 2 "Miss Jamaica's family says she will return home to recover after falling off Miss Universe stage". ABC News. 9 December 2025. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Gabrielle Henry: Relationships, Family, Career — Miss Universe Doctor's Life Story". Mabumbe. November 2025. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 "Ophthalmologist Dr Gabrielle Henry wins Miss Universe Jamaica on her second attempt". Face2Face Africa. 15 August 2025. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  9. ↑ "Nawat Itsaragrisil's Miss Grand International authorized to organize Miss Universe 2025 in Thailand". GMA News Online. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  10. ↑ "Miss Jamaica Universe withdraws from pageant after suffering head injury in fall". Jamaica Observer. 21 November 2025. Archived from the original on 22 November 2025. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  11. ↑ "Miss Jamaica falls from Miss Universe stage during the evening gown preliminary". Hola. 20 November 2025. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  12. 1 2 "Prayers for Miss Universe Jamaica after extent of injuries revealed". Jamaica Gleaner. 9 December 2025. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  13. ↑ "Miss Jamaica Gabrielle Henry Exits Miss Universe Pageant on Stretcher After Falling Off Stage". E! Online. 21 November 2025. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  14. ↑ "Miss Universe owner shares update after Miss Jamaica contestant falls off stage". E! Online. 22 November 2025. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  15. ↑ Le, Linh (10 December 2025). "Jamaica's Gabrielle Henry suffers severe injuries from stage fall at Miss Universe 2025". VnExpress International. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  16. ↑ "Miss Jamaica transferred to Kingston hospital after the Miss Universe accident". Hola. 15 December 2025. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  17. 1 2 "Miss Jamaica Gabrielle Henry is still in the hospital after Miss Universe stage fall: Is she okay?". Hola. 13 February 2026. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  18. ↑ "Miss Jamaica Gabrielle Henry released from hospital months after devastating pageant fall". TheGrio. 21 March 2026. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  19. 1 2 "Dr Gabrielle Henry still recovering". Jamaica Gleaner. 19 March 2026. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
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Category:1997 births Category:Living people Category:Jamaican physicians Category:Miss Universe 2025 contestants Category:Ophthalmologists Category:University of the West Indies alumni Category:People from Kingston, Jamaica Category:Jamaican philanthropists Category:Jamaican pianists Category:Jamaican singers

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