Gracie Bon is getting dragged online, and she’s not staying quiet about it. The Instagram model is answering the backlash over pictures that show her posing in front of destroyed homes in earthquake-hit Panama. Her message to critics is that the photos were never about her…
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake hit Panama on October 9, 2026. Bon posted the controversial photos on Sunday, October 11, showing her in white clothing among damaged structures, scattered bricks and broken household items. Of course many called the framing insensitive and said people’s ruined homes shouldn’t double as a backdrop for influencer content.
Bon, who is Panamanian, sent us a statement to set the record straight, saying she was only using the attention she’s used to getting to spotlight something far more important than her body, the latest natural disaster that has hit her country.
“Yes, I was in Panama City visiting my family when the earthquake happened. It was so strong, but we were not affected. The affected areas were in the countryside. Everyone lost their homes. But the media, the news, no one was really talking about it. They were all saying Panama is doing great because no one lost their lives.” That, she says, is what pushed her to act. “So the first thing I did was buy more than $20K in donations, and of course my intent was to give visibility to my country.
She continued, “When I got there, I saw all the houses in total damage. People were sleeping on the floor in the rain, and again, no government, no help, nothing. So I documented everything: the donations, the pictures of the destroyed houses, of course with permission from the families. And I told them I was going to get them help to build their houses back.”
Her side of the story does have some backup. Before the photos went up, Bon shared two videos about the situation in the affected areas, including one of her buying supplies and taking them to hard-hit communities. She also shared information on donation drop-off centers for anyone wanting to help.
Still, she insists the photo at the center of the storm was just a moment in the middle of the work. “The picture is basically me after a donation. It’s not a photoshoot, and it was 100% with the consent of the families, who are desperate for people to know what’s really happening. No one died, but those families lost everything. I wanted the whole world to see it, but not in this way, where they’re trying to portray me as a person who wants to take advantage of the situation.”
She also tackled the money question, which is where a lot of the criticism landed. “I gain zero money from this. I did it because I love my country! I don’t want anyone to suffer. I wanted to help with what I have: my money, my reach and my followers. They’re tools that I used to give visibility to what others stay quiet about.”
In her Instagram stories, she asked critics a pointed question: would the photos have been more acceptable if she hadn’t appeared in them? She also said she’d get back to sending donations.