Cornett, 1993 Miss America, dead at 49

Leanza Cornett, who was named Miss America in 1993, died on Wednesday after suffering a brain injury in a fall, her family said. She was 49.

Cornett had been hospitalized with a head injury earlier this month after a fall in her home, according to a Facebook page for friends and family.

“Leanza had a bright and beautiful spirit and her laugh was infectious. We know she meant so much to so many, including all of you,” the Miss America Organization said in a statement.

Cornett, born in Virginia but raised in Florida, was named Miss Florida in 1992 before winning the national pageant a year later.

Cornett sustained “a massive blow to the back of the head” when she fell in her kitchen on Oct. 12 and had required emergency surgery, according to the Facebook page.

She had remained hospitalized in Jacksonville until her death Wednesday.

Cornett was the first actress to play a live-action Ariel in the “Voyage of The Little Mermaid” stage show at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios.

She also had on-screen roles including “Saved by the Bell: The New Class,” “Grown Ups,” “The Tick,” “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” and “Weeds.”

She is survived by two sons, Kai, 18, and Avery, 16, and her ex-husband, former “Entertainment Tonight” host Mark Steines.

“We will always remember the wonderful times shared during her short time here on earth,” Steines wrote on Instagram. “I find comfort knowing Kai and Avery will forever have the best guardian angel watching over them as they navigate life’s path.”