DENVER -- Leslie Fishbein, the face and president of Kacey Fine Furniture, died Wednesday shortly before noon, the family said in a statement.

"Leslie was a vibrant and loving member of our community as well as our family. Her passing is a profound loss for all of us. We ask, once again, that we be allowed to grieve our loss privately," the family said in a statement released by the hospital.

Fishbein was placed on life support after receiving treatment for back pain at a physician's private office. She was admitted to Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center on March 5 and placed on life support. Family members made the tough decision to remove her from life support two days later.

Friends and family have stayed by her bedside since then. They told newspaper reporters that she went into cardiac arrest after having a bad reaction to an injection meant to relieve back pain from a previous horseback riding accident.

Fishbein, 55, is a Colorado native and has said that she has lived her entire life within a 25-mile radius of where she was born. She often talked about her childhood, riding a horse to the McDonalds at Colorado and Mississippi, near her home.

When she was asked once what she hoped she would be remembered for, she said: "For being kind, caring and energetic -- but funny, and certainly not boring!"

Fishbein's husband, Sam Fishbein, is the Chief Executive Officer of Kacey Fine Furniture. Leslie Fishbein's mother and father founded the company in 1950 and she started working for the family business after graduating from the University of Colorado.

"I knew Leslie for many years and always looked forward to running into her at furniture tradeshows. Every time, she was always very nice to me by greeting me with a hug. I will miss her sense of humor and friendship -- the furniture industry will miss her personality, energy and intelligence," said Jake Jabs, owner of American Furniture Warehouse.

Just like Jabs, Fishbein is a familiar face to many people in the Denver metro area because of her commercials on television.

"Leslie Fishbein has been a surrogate sister to me for many years. While she will deservedly be remembered as a vital force in Denver's business and philanthropic communities, her vibrancy, warmth and humor are what her friends and family will miss most. Those of us who knew and loved her were better for it, and the City of Denver was a brighter place with Leslie in it," said Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper.

As president of Kacey Fine Furniture, Fishbein guided the company's day-to-day operations, and was responsible for profit and loss and directs merchandising, according to her profile on Kacey.com.

"Her self-deprecating sense of humor belies the sharp business sense Leslie Fishbein brings to the family business she plays a key role in as president," a profile on WomenOf.com had said.

The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner said she died at 11:55 a.m. The coroner said the cause and manner of death are pending further studies.

"Today the Colorado community lost a generous citizen, a devoted woman and a business pioneer. Leslie's work and vibrant personality will have a long-lasting impact on our community. My thoughts and prayers are with Leslie's family and friends in this difficult time," said U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar.

John Hickenlooper, Denver's mayor, said Fishbein was like a sister to him, and her death was completely unexpected.

"I think it's like getting your emotional wind knocked out of you. She was there, and now she's gone, and everything else sort of looks the same, but it's not," he said. "Even the people who never met her have come to grips with their world's a little bit different in some significant way."