LOS ANGELES – A 38-year-old man died of natural causes during a recording of TBS’s “Wipeout” program last fall, the LA county coroner’s office determined.
Michael Paredes lost consciousness after falling off the show’s obstacle course on November 18. He died a day later. A coroner’s report, released on Friday, showed that Paredes died of a heart attack and suffered from undetected coronary artery disease.
The toxicology report also showed that Parades was free of drugs or alcohol when he died. The report states that he regularly consumed Nutrex Outlift Amped, a pre-workout dietary supplement. According to the report, Parades drank a glass of water mixed with the supplement powder on the morning of the recording of the show.
The autopsy does not suggest that the supplement played any role in Paredes’ death. He claims, however, that his fiancee told investigators that the supplement may have triggered a false positive result for MDMA, or ecstasy, shortly after Paredes arrived at the hospital. She told investigators that he did not drink or use drugs. He also did not experience any harmful effects of the supplement and did not indicate any headaches or other illnesses before falling off the obstacle course.
According to the report, Paredes successfully completed two of the obstacles, but fell in the third. He struggled to swim to the side of the pool and had to be pulled out. He was placed in a wheelchair, but quickly lost consciousness. People present began to perform CPR and paramedics were called. He was taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, where he was pronounced dead the next day.
According to the bride, Paredes exercised two hours a day, five days a week. He and his fiancee sold wellness products, including the Nutrex product he consumed.
He and his fiancee participated in the show. To qualify, both had to undergo drug screening, an EKG and a Covid-19 test. Both passed the selection.
“Wipeout” aired on ABC from 2008 to 2014. TBS announced last year that it was restarting the program, but it hasn’t yet premiered. The show is produced by Endemol Shine North America. The companies expressed condolences to Paredes’ family after his death.