'Bachelorette' Contestant And Adventurer Dies In Tragic Paragliding Accident

Eric Hill, a contestant on the upcoming season of "The Bachelorette," died Wednesday after his parachute malfunctioned while paragliding in Utah.

"He experienced a partial parachute collapse, which swung him into the mountainside with some velocity," the Unified Fire Authority Battalion Chief told KUTV of the experienced paraglider's final journey. "It doesn't seem like he fell an extremely long distance, but the velocity that he went into the hillside was enough to cause some trauma."

Hill had been a potential suitor for new "Bachelorette" Andi Dorfman on the ABC show that is currently still in production, but is believed to have been eliminated at the time of his passing.

But vying for the affections of a female on a reality show was the least of Hill's adventures.

A world traveler and adventurer, Hill had spent the last year on what was called "GO with Eric, The Global Odyssey," as he attempted to go to every country by 2016 in world record time.

Hill was documenting the challenge, which began in February 2013, on Facebook, a blog, and a documentary film that was in the works.

On Wednesday, Hill's sister Karen Tracy confirmed that her brother's journey had been cut short, after spending three days in a coma following the accident. She wrote on Facebook:

"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. 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!"