Miss Universe Jamaica looking toward December with ‘hope’ in latest update since fall

Miss Jamaica, Gabrielle Henry, fell off the stage while competing in the Miss Universe pageant on Nov. 19 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Two weeks after being hospitalized after a fall during the scandal-ridden Miss Universe pageant, Miss Jamaica, Gabrielle Henry, is looking toward December with hope.

On Monday, Dec. 1, the official Miss Universe Jamaica Instagram account shared a message about reflection, restoration, and welcoming the month with “renewed resilience,” marking the first public update since more details about Henry’s condition were confirmed.

“Grace has found us again. December arrives not just as a new month but as a season of recovery, reflection, and renewed resilience,” the post, set against a festive, Christmas-themed background, began.

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A post shared by Miss Universe Jamaica (@officialmissuniversejamaica)

“After Hurricane Melissa, we rise with gratitude — for safety, for community, for the strength that binds us together,” it continued. “This is our time to rebuild with hope, to restore with compassion, and to uplift each other with kindness. Be intentional. Be empathetic. Extend grace generously. Even in hardship, Jamaica’s spirit remains unshaken — we endure, we unite, and we shine. Welcome, December — a month of healing, courage, and forward movement.”

While the message addressed Hurricane Melissa — the Category 5 storm that devastated Jamaica after making landfall on Oct. 21 — its timing also marked the latest communication since Henry’s on-stage fall during the Miss Universe competition in Bangkok, Thailand.

On Nov. 19, while competing in the preliminary evening gown segment, the 28-year-old ophthalmologist and model was gliding across the stage in an orange sequined and beaded gown with a flowing cape when she slipped and fell off. According to multiple reports, she was immediately rushed to the hospital with injuries initially described as non-life-threatening. By Nov. 24, officials confirmed she had suffered lacerations to her chin and foot and remained in the ICU for continued monitoring.

Fans and supporters have continued pleading for updates under the December post, but no new information has been released since a Nov. 29 statement from Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.

“While Dr. Henry, Miss Jamaica Universe 2025, remains in intensive care in Bangkok, in the process of recovery, and despite setbacks, the family reports that she is in good spirits,” Grange wrote on Instagram. “The family is confident that her resilience and strength will see her through, with all our support.” 

She added that the family is working closely with Henry’s medical team and is awaiting clearance for non-emergency medical transport back to Jamaica.

Henry’s ongoing hospitalization adds another layer to a pageant year already mired in controversy, including Miss Mexico’s allegations of mistreatment by staff (which sparked a brief walkout), multiple judges resigning mid-competition, a warrant for arrest has been issued for one of the pageant’s owners, and Miss Universe Africa and Oceania renouncing her title.