Bachelorette Contestant Dies in Paragliding Accident

Eric Hill is set to appear on ABC's upcoming season, starring Andi Dorfman, as a suitor

By Chris Harnick Apr 23, 2014 5:02 PMTags
Eric Hill, InstagramInstagram

Bachelorette contestant Eric Hill has passed away today from injuries he suffered from a serious paragliding accident on Sunday. He was 32. Hill was a contestant on this season of The Bachelorette vying for Andi Dorfman's affection. The show will premiere May 19. Hill had already finished production and had been eliminated off the series at the time of the accident.

"Eric shared his final journey with us this morning as all his immediate family were able to be at his side when he passed away," Hill's sister, Karen Tracy, wrote on Facebook. "Thank you to all of your love and support and prayers and fasting. It was amazing to be with so many of his friends and family yesterday in the hospital who came to express their love for Eric. He gave us such a gift of a life fully lived and fully shared, and allowed us all to be a part of his last adventure here on earth. It is hard to think of life without his bright spark, but we know he is on to new adventures. We look forward to carrying on his legacy here and greeting him joyfully again someday. I love you so much, little brother!"

Hill was paragliding with friends when his parachute partially collapsed, according to reports.

"He lived more in 32 years than most people do in 100," former Bachelorette contestant Brooks Forester told E! News. "He was always on an adventure, always looking to build memories and meet new friends along the way. I'll miss having the opportunity to go on those adventures with him."

ABC has not announced Hill as an official contestant on this season of The Bachelorette, but sources confirmed to E! News he did compete as a suitor and the accident did not happen on the show. Hill was already eliminated.

"This is really the first time something terrible has happened between time of filming and airing the season so the network will have to figure out how to handle, and if it merits somehow editing show differently," an insider who works on the show told E! News after Hill's accident. Producers are still figuring out how to proceed.

Another source told E! News Andi is on hometown dates with her remaining suitors and is not connected to the outside world. It is unknown if producers will tell Andi the news and how it could affect the final episodes of the season.

In 2013, Hill launched The Global Odyssey, also known as GO with Eric. His goal was to visit all 195 United Nations-recognized countries in record time.

Our thoughts are with Hill's family and friends during this difficult time.

—Additional reporting by Beth Sobol and Sara Kitnick