11/12/2009

in

Contestant with rare blood disease dies after suffering from a stroke during filming.

Morgan Ribar

While filming and episode for the third season of quirky show Wipeout contestant Tom Sparks started complaining of some knee pains.  
  
After sitting out of a competition, Sparks started having shortness of breath and producers rushed him to the nearest medical facility, Los Angeles' Cedars Sinai Medical Center.  
  
Once at the hospital the 33-year-old underwent several brain surgeries but the doctors decided that Sparks had suffered from too much brain damage already and could not be saved and passed away November 5.  
  
According to Sparks' father Bill, he suffered from antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) which is a disease that causes some unusual clotting of the blood. Doctors believe APS is the cause of the stroke.  
  
Although there are physicals performed on the contestants of Wipeout before they are allowed to compete, the tests they have performed on them would not include testing for APS.  
  
ABC offered their condolences to Sparks's family.