‘Wipeout’ Contestant Dies After Stroke

A contestant on ABC’s “Wipeout” died earlier this month following suffering a stroke, Access Hollywood has confirmed.

Tom Sparks, 33, was injured on the set of the reality show on October 19, first complaining of knee pain on an obstacle course. Medics noticed he was also suffering shortness of breath and he was asked to halt his run.

According to TheWrap, which was the first to report the news, following his initial injury, the contestant was taken to a local hospital and transferred to Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where doctors reportedly performed multiple brain surgeries. However, Sparks died on November 5 due to an apparent stroke. It is unclear when the stroke was suffered.

Sparks, a recent graduate of USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, was also a newlywed, married just two months to wife Kate, also a “Wipeout” contestant.

Bill Sparks, the contestant’s father, said in a statement to the Idaho Mountain Express that his son had a previously existing condition that likely caused the stroke – antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, a disease that can cause blood clots.

“We offer our heartfelt condolences to the family,” production company Endemol said in a statement to Access. “This is a tragic loss and our thoughts are with them at this time.”