A "Wipeout" contestant died after completing an obstacle course
Photo via ABC
A contestant of the game show "Wipeout" has died from an apparent stroke after running an obstacle course.
Contestants on the show compete through a series of physical challenges for a $50,000 prize. The obstacles are heavily padded, and up until now no serious injuries have been reported.
According to reports, Tom Sparks competed on the ABC show along with his wife, Katie, whom he recently married. Sparks had indicated he had knee pain and a shortness of breath during one event. After competing he was still in distress, so Sparks was taken to the hospital. After judging his condition as serious, he was transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for brain surgery. He died shortly after.
While the official cause of death has not been announced, it's presumed Sparks suffered a stroke during the challenge. Sparks' father, Bill, told his local paper that doctors believe the stroke may have been caused by "antiphospholipid antibody syndrome," a pre-existing condition Sparks may have had that can cause blood clots.
Sparks signed a release and had taken a physical exam before competing on the show. He had not indicated any medical problems or pre-existing conditions to show producers.
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