Officials have shed more light on the tragedy of Michael Paredes, the Wipeout contestant who died back in November shortly after completing the reboot's obstacle course.
The Los Angeles County Coroner determined Paredes died from a heart attack caused by coronary artery disease—a condition that occurs when blood vessels have too much blockage to adequately feed the heart muscle. According to the autopsy report obtained by TMZ,the 38-year-old had a number of coronary artery problems as well as an acute case pneumonia at the time of his death.
It seems Paredes was unaware of his condition, as TMZ points out that he had cleared Wipeout's mandatory medical exam prior to competing. The autopsy also states Paredes had reported no medical issues beforehand.
According to the outlet, Paredes had fallen into a body of water while running on an obstacle. Although he managed to swim to the edge, he reportedly needed assistance to pull himself out. The man was then placed on a wheelchair and went into cardiopulmonary arrest just moments later. He was then resuscitated and immediately transported to the hospital where he died a day later.
Production for the Wipeout reboot—hosted by John Cena, Nicole Byer, and Camille Kostek—was reportedly suspended about a week after Paredes' death. The show's network, TBS, released the following statement back in November: "We are devastated to have learned of his passing and our deepest sympathy goes out to the family."
