Miss Jamaica Dr Gabrielle Henry suffered a frightening fall off the stage. The contestant, an ophthalmologist by profession, tumbled during the Miss Universe preliminary evening gown round in Thailand.
Videos on social media showed her confidently walking the Bangkok stage in an orange gown. Then, she accidentally stepped off the dark edge of the runway and fell face-first.
Audience members immediately stood up in shock to help her. Later clips showed Gabrielle being carried out on a stretcher. She was rushed to Paolo Rangsit Hospital.
However, the show continued without pause. As medical professionals took her away on a stretcher, other contestants continued their walk.
Doctors have now confirmed that she has no life-threatening injuries. However, social media was shocked to see the fall.
“Omg this is so hard to watch. That was a hard fall,” reacted one user.
“Lord Jesus! My heart leapt!” posted another.
Another user wrote, “They need to stop making these ridiculous additions to the stage… This is not safe for the ladies. I hope there are no major injuries to my Jamaican Queen.”
“Medical professionals are attending to her care and have advised that she is not suffering from any life-threatening injuries; however, they continue to conduct tests to ensure her full recovery,” the New York Post quoted the Miss Universe authorities as saying in a statement.
“We kindly ask everyone to stay upbeat, lift her in prayer, and send positive thoughts as she receives the necessary medical care,” the statement added.
Raul Rocha, the co-owner of the Miss Universe pageant, has prayed for her “prompt recovery”.
“I was there with her family and her, and thankfully, there are no broken bones, and she is under good care. She will remain under observation for the rest of the night, and we will remain in touch with her family and support her,” the Mexican businessman wrote.
Miss Universe 2025 controversies
Miss Universe 2025 has been surrounded by major controversies. There have been accusations of rigging, conflicts of interest and legal concerns.
Three judges resigned just days before the pageant, with one alleging the results were fixed and that a secret, unofficial jury had already chosen finalists. Another claimed a jury member was romantically involved with a contestant.
Tensions escalated when Nawat Itsaragrisil, director of Miss Universe Thailand, publicly scolded Mexico’s contestant, Fatima Bosch, for skipping promotional events. He even had her removed by security.
Several contestants, including the reigning Miss Universe, walked out in protest. Nawat later apologised after Rocha’s intervention.
Thai police are investigating reports that contestants were asked to film promotional content for an online gambling site, allegedly violating national law.
