NEW YORK — Former Miss Universe Jamaica, Davina Bennett, is counting her blessings after surviving a motor vehicle accident in New York on September 13, during what was meant to be her debut Fashion Week.
Bennett, who rose to international fame after placing second runner-up at the 2017 Miss Universe pageant, shared the harrowing details with fans in an Instagram video on Sunday.
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“September 13, 2025, definitely one for the books,” she wrote. “I had just finished walking for the incredible and talented Kahlaña Barfield’s collaboration with Target. There was an after-party, but I decided to head home to rest after a string of shows with minimal sleep. Minutes from home, I stopped at a pedestrian crossing, pressed the walk signal, and turned on some gospel music. When the signal came, I stepped off the curb—and that’s when I was hit. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in an ambulance.”
Bennett described being “scared, confused, crying, and in shock” as paramedics explained what had happened. She later notified loved ones, who rushed to the hospital to be by her side.
Initially, she felt little pain, likely due to adrenaline, but soon discovered bruises covering her body. Doctors, however, delivered what she called a miracle: no broken bones or fractures.
“My agent called to confirm another show for the next day, but when I told him what happened, he was devastated. I was devastated too. I had been working so hard for months to get to this point only for this to happen,” she said. “But when the doctor told me how lucky I was, I smiled and said, ‘It’s God.’”
Although the accident has cut short her first Fashion Week experience, Bennett says she remains determined.
“This might be the end of my first fashion week. I’m in severe pain, but I’m grateful to be alive. They say as long as you have life, there’s hope. This was unfortunate, but it won’t be the end of my journey. I’m grateful to God I’m still here to keep chasing my dreams.”
