Tom Sparks, "Wipeout" Contestant, Dies

LOS ANGELES — A contestant who was hospitalized after competing briefly on the game show "Wipeout" died two weeks later of a stroke apparently caused by a rare condition, his father said.

Tom Sparks, 33, was participating in the first segment of an obstacle course Oct. 19 when he complained of knee pain, according to Endemol, the company which produces "Wipeout" for ABC.

Producers had him stop, Endemol said Thursday. On-set medics examined Sparks, noticed he was short of breath and took him to a local hospital.

He was moved to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and underwent several brain surgeries, according to TheWrap.com, which first reported Sparks' Nov. 5 death. Sparks couldn't be saved because of the brain damage that had occurred, the Web site said, citing an e-mail to alumni from a faculty member at Sparks' alma mater.

Sparks, a former Sun Valley, Idaho, radio disc jockey, earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California and later earned a master's degree from the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism.

In a statement to the Idaho Mountain Express and Guide, Bill Sparks, his father, said doctors determined the stroke probably was caused by antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, known as APS.

APS is associated with recurrent clotting events including premature stroke and heart attack, according to the APS Foundation of America Inc.'s Web site.

"Wipeout" contestants undergo medical examinations before they are cleared for the show, Endemol said. However, the diagnosis of APS requires specialized blood tests, the foundation said on its site.

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"We offer our heartfelt condolences to the family," ABC and Endemol said in a joint statement. "This is a tragic loss and our thoughts are with them at this time."

Sparks, who was a runner and recently competed in a marathon, had just married and was competing on "Wipeout" with his wife, Kate, on a couples episode.

The show is in production for the third season, premiering next summer.

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On the Net:

http://www.apsfa.org/

http://www.abc.go.com

Comments

[b1rd67]

Wow, was that headline trying to trick readers into thinking that he died from an injury he sustained on the show? Enquiring minds want to know?

[Cakey4814]

Oh Huffpo..had me clicking thinking he died while performing one of the stunts..

[Margo Arrowsmith]

I am embarrassed to tell people that I have watched this show and had many belly laughs.

Will I have to become embarrassed to tell people I read HuffPo because of the misleading Enquirer like headlines?

I mean, don't they care about integrity?

http://www.squidoo.com/debbie-wasserman-schultz

[balancedsolution]

Hpost Enquirer at it again.

Feel bad for his family. With Sympathy.

[tygakor]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wwGl-CXgOA

[PoliticalRockChick]

Huffpost stop with the misleading headlines.

[the964kid]

Did I accidently log onto the Fox News website?? Sensationalized headline.

[CaliTLC]

Oh my gosh - how tragic. His parents must be in shock.

[SharonaMonk]

Oh good lord. I thought he died_during one of those ridiculous stunts.

[GrownupStewie]

really, what a misleading headline...Its one of my favorite shows...which doesnt say much about me, but HP made it sound like he died right after...

2 weeks later is not right after...

Nobody blames Six Flags is someone dies 2 weeks after they visited the park from a hear attack...

[AntiRethuglican]

Misleading headline~

[SouthPrairie]

Fluffpo does that all the time.

[lizipoo]

And, thankfully, Fox Noise would never, ever do anything to mislead its faithful followers. Would never stoop to broadcasting half-truths, rumors or plain old vitriol. Sleep well my lemmings, you'll need to be well rested when your hypocrisy finally catches up with your backsides.

[iMissMollyIvins]

This is a milquetoast rip-off of Most Extreme Elimination Challenge.

[ddemos]

It's all fun and games until somebody...

[b1rd67]

... reads the entire article.

[sloreader]

It sounds like he had a preexisting underlying condition but it also appears the physicality of the show precipitated this young man's stroke. In other words, he might have had a similar event at some point in the future but it happened much sooner than it would have absent the physical strains he experienced. The photo with the story speaks volumes.

[braniamania]

that photo is NOT Tom. HuffPo is seriously misleading readers by sticking up a stock photo of some shlub and leading people to think it's Tom. Trust me, it's not. Subtract about 70 pounds.

[miamia]

That's sad.

[edgarcaycedoc]

My hearts and prayers are with his family and friends. How young to go.