Yesterday, we reported [1] that Leanza Cornett, who was Miss America 1993, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 49 after suffering a serious head injury. Now, tragic new details about how she suffered this injury that led to her untimely death have come to light.
Cornett’s roommate Sue Roberts revealed on the Facebook page [2] “Leanza Cornett’s Circle of Love” that the former beauty queen had sustained a head injury after falling in her kitchen at her home in Jacksonville, Florida on the night of October 12.
“A fall in the kitchen,” Roberts wrote. “I am a self-proclaimed dork and have fallen a million times in my house. Accidents happen. I’m saying this because I think all of us need to just hug each other a little tighter and love each other a little longer.”
Roberts explained that Cornett had to undergo surgery to stop the bleeding in her brain after “an enormous blow to the back of her head.” As she lingered in the ICU at her local hospital over the next few weeks, her condition worsened until she died on Wednesday.
The Miss America organization paid tribute to Cornett after her passing in a brief statement.
“Leanza had a bright, beautiful spirit and her laugh was infectious,” said the tribute. “We know she meant so much to so many, including all of you. We are devastated by this sudden loss in our Miss America family and we are deeply sorry for her family and close friends for their loss.”
After her reign as Miss America ended, Cornett went on to have a successful career in television, securing gigs on shows like “Entertainment Tonight,” “Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?” and DIY Network’s “On The Block.”
Cornett was married to former “Entertainment Tonight” Host Mark Steines from 1995 until they divorced in 2013. She is survived by their two sons, Kai, 18, and Avery, 16.
“I find comfort knowing Kai and Avery will forever have the best guardian angel watching over them as they navigate life’s path,” Steines wrote in an Instagram post. “We will always remember the wonderful times shared during her short time here on earth.”
This piece originally appeared in UpliftingToday.com [7] and is used by permission.
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