‘Wipeout’ Contestant Died of a Heart Attack, Autopsy Finds

A 38-year-old man died of natural causes during a taping of the TBS show “Wipeout” last fall, the L.A. County Coroner’s office has determined.

Michael Paredes lost consciousness after falling from the show’s obstacle course on Nov. 18. He died a day later. A coroner’s report, released on Friday, showed that Paredes died of a heart attack and that he 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 cup of water mixed with the supplement powder on the morning of the show taping.

The autopsy does not suggest that the supplement played any role in Paredes’ death. It does state, 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 do drugs. He also did not feel any ill effects from the supplement and did not indicate any headaches or other ailments before falling from the obstacle course.

According to the report, Paredes successfully completed two of the obstacles, but fell on the third one. He struggled to swim to the side of the pool, and had to be pulled out. He was lifted into a wheelchair, but quickly lost consciousness. Bystanders began performing CPR and paramedics were called. He was taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, where he was pronounced dead the following day.

According to his fiancee, Paredes exercised for two hours a day, five days a week. He and his fiancee sold wellness products, including the Nutrex product that he consumed.

He and his fiancee both participated in the show. In order to qualify, both had to submit to a drug screen, an EKG and a COVID-19 test. They both passed the screening.

“Wipeout” aired on ABC from 2008 to 2014. TBS announced last year that it was rebooting the show, but it has yet to premiere. The show is produced by Endemol Shine North America. The companies extended condolences to Paredes’ family after his death.