'Wipeout' contestant dies after show stunt

By Andrea Reiher

November 12, 2009 9:34 AM

Tom Sparks, 33, died Nov. 5 following an appearance for a taping of ABC's "Wipeout" where he suffered a stroke.

According to The Wrap, Sparks was participating in the show's Japanese game show-style obstacle course when he began complaining of knee pain and shortness of breath. The producers told him to stop competing and he was taken to a nearby hospital. Spark was eventually transferred to Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where he underwent several brain surgeries.

However, Sparks' father Bill has told friends and family that Tom suffered from APS, or antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, a disease that causes unnatural clotting of the blood, which may explain the stroke and brain surgeries. APS is not something that would come up in a routine physical, such as one you would undergo to appear on "Wipeout."

The family has asked for donations to be made to the APS Foundation of America in lieu of flowers.

Photo credit: The Wrap

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| Comments (7)

7 Comments

Yet another reason to see the back end of reality television: wake up television executives!

coffee | November 12, 2009 9:41 AM

This is very sad but could have happened during any physical activity, not just a reality show. These are risks of having competition reality shows though.

HeavyRaines17 | November 12, 2009 9:54 AM

What a horrible, sensationalistic headline.

cheapstunt | November 12, 2009 10:24 AM

This was obviously a pre-existing condition. This could have happened while taking out the trash or walking his dog. The show really had little to do with it.

Bman | November 12, 2009 10:28 AM

Is this now the closest we've come to a reality show related death? I don't recall anything else.

Kellek1974 | November 12, 2009 12:09 PM

Yeah, preexisting condition led to this, but this won't change the fact that the show will come under some unwarranted heat.

I wonder how ABC and the producers will handle it.

Corey | November 12, 2009 12:44 PM

im scard to go on it now

storm | January 2, 2010 9:37 AM