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Eric Hill, who was a contestant in the upcoming 2014 season of "The Bachelorette," died this week from injuries suffered in a paragliding accident. Hill is seen here in a photo taken from his Facebook page. He was 31. " border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto001" width="640"/>Eric Hill, who was a contestant in the upcoming 2014 season of "The Bachelorette," died this week from injuries suffered in a paragliding accident. Hill is seen here in a photo taken from his Facebook page. He was 31.
"MasterChef" runner-up Joshua Marks was in "the battle of his life fighting mental illness" when he killed himself on October 11, his family said.
Gia Allemand appeared on Season 14 of ABC's "The Bachelor." In a statement, her family said the 29-year-old's death apparently was suicide.
found dead in April in Kanawha County, West Virginia, authorities said. The body of Gandee, 21, was discovered in a vehicle along with the bodies of his uncle, David Dwight Gandee, 48, and Donald Robert Myers, 27." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto004" width="640"/>Shain Gandee of MTV's "Buckwild" was found dead in April in Kanawha County, West Virginia, authorities said. The body of Gandee, 21, was discovered in a vehicle along with the bodies of his uncle, David Dwight Gandee, 48, and Donald Robert Myers, 27.
breast cancer after her stint on the reality show." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto005" width="640"/>Jennifer Lyon, who appeared on "Survivor: Palau" in 2005, died at her home in Oregon in January 2010. The 37-year-old was diagnosed with breast cancer after her stint on the reality show.
"The Real World: Hollywood" cast member Joey Kovar died of a suspected drug overdose in August 2012 at 29. Kovar also appeared on the third season of "Celebrity Rehab."
said Assumption Parish Sheriff Mike Waguespack. Another person, who did not want to be identified, performed CPR and called 911." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto007" width="640"/>"Swamp People" star Mitchell Guist, right, died in Louisiana in May 2012. He was working to build a houseboat when he appeared to have a seizure and fell backward in his boat, said Assumption Parish Sheriff Mike Waguespack. Another person, who did not want to be identified, performed CPR and called 911.
"The Real World: San Francisco," cast member Pedro Zamora shared his struggle with HIV/AIDS. After Zamora died in November 1994, President Bill Clinton said the Cuban-born reality star "changed the face of HIV and AIDS in America forever."" border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto008" width="640"/>In 1994's "The Real World: San Francisco," cast member Pedro Zamora shared his struggle with HIV/AIDS. After Zamora died in November 1994, President Bill Clinton said the Cuban-born reality star "changed the face of HIV and AIDS in America forever."
Capt. Phil Harris died in February 2010 at 53. The reality star was hospitalized after he suffered a stroke on January 29." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto009" width="640"/>"Deadliest Catch's" Capt. Phil Harris died in February 2010 at 53. The reality star was hospitalized after he suffered a stroke on January 29.
Brown's death was ruled a suicide." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0010" width="640"/>Rachel Brown, a 2006 contestant on "Hell's Kitchen," which is hosted by Gordon Ramsay, was found dead of a gunshot wound in her Dallas home in 2007. The Tarrant County medical examiner's office said Brown's death was ruled a suicide.
police said. The 34-year-old died from "blunt and thermal trauma" in the fiery crash, according to the autopsy report." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0011" width="640"/>"Jackass" star Ryan Dunn was drunk and speeding up to 140 mph when his 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 crashed and caught fire on a Pennsylvania highway in June 2011, police said. The 34-year-old died from "blunt and thermal trauma" in the fiery crash, according to the autopsy report.
cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that affects the lungs and digestive track, was 25 when she died in June 2007." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0012" width="640"/>Frankie Abernathy was a cast member on "The Real World: San Diego," which aired on MTV in 2004. Abernathy, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that affects the lungs and digestive track, was 25 when she died in June 2007.
ruled his death a suicide." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0013" width="640"/>New Jersey restaurant owner Joseph Cerniglia, who appeared on the first season of "Kitchen Nightmares," jumped from a bridge into New York's Hudson River in September 2010. The medical examiner ruled his death a suicide.
Bravo's "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." The series featured his estranged wife, Taylor, grappling with the aftermath of his suicide." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto0014" width="640"/>Russell Armstrong, left, hanged himself in 2011 while appearing on Bravo's "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." The series featured his estranged wife, Taylor, grappling with the aftermath of his suicide.
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- Eric Hill interrupted his "Global Odyssey" to compete in "The Bachelorette"
- Hill's parachute partially collapsed, slamming him into a hillside Sunday
- He was on a mission to visit "every country in world record time"
- His episodes on the ABC reality show premiere May 19
(CNN) -- Eric Hill, who was a contestant in the upcoming season of "The Bachelorette," died this week from injuries suffered in a paragliding accident.
Hill, 31, was an adventurer with a goal of setting a world record by visiting every country on Earth in 1,200 days, but he interrupted his journey this spring to participate in the ABC reality competition.
He was gliding off a steep hill in Draper, Utah, Sunday when his parachute partially collapsed and "swung him into the hillside like a pendulum," Salt Lake County Unified Fire spokesman Brian Anderton told CNN.
Although he was not far above the ground when he fell and he was wearing a helmet, Hill "hit with quite a bit of velocity," causing severe injuries, Anderton said.
Friends honor 'Bachelorette' contestant
Click through to see people who passed away in 2014.
Former Barcelona soccer coach Tito Vilanova, who has been battling cancer, died at the age of 45, the club announced Friday, April 25.
Country singer Kevin Sharp died from "complications due to cancer" on April 19, his mother told CNN. He was 43.
Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, the middleweight boxing contender who was wrongly convicted of a triple murder in New Jersey in the 1960s, has died in Toronto at 76, Win Wahrer of the Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted said on Sunday, April 20.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the influential, Nobel Prize-winning author of "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and "Love in the Time of Cholera," passed away on Thursday, April 17, his family and officials said. He was 87.
Jose Luis "Cheo" Feliciano, a giant of salsa music and a Puerto Rican legend, died in a car crash Thursday, April 18, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to police. He was 78.
Days after being inducted into World Wrestling Entertainment's Hall of Fame, WWE superstar Ultimate Warrior died Tuesday, April 8, of unknown causes. Born James Hellwig, he legally changed his name to Warrior in 1993. He was 54.
Comedian John Pinette, 50, was found dead in a Pittsburgh hotel room on April 5. Pinette died of natural causes stemming from "a medical history he was being treated for," the medical examiner's spokesman said. An autopsy will not be done because his personal doctor signed the death certificate.
Mickey Rooney, who started as a child star in vaudeville and went on to star in hundreds of movies and TV shows, died April 6 at the age of 93.
DJ Frankie Knuckles, a legendary producer, remixer and house music pioneer, died March 31 at the age of 59.
Kate O'Mara, the British actress best known for playing Joan Collins' sister on the 1980s show "Dynasty," died March 30. She was 74.
Ralph C. Wilson Jr., the founder and longtime owner of the NFL's Buffalo Bills, died at age 95, the team announced March 25.
Gwar lead singer Dave Brockie died March 23 at the age of 50, his manager said. The heavy-metal group formed in 1984, billing itself as "Earth's only openly extraterrestrial rock band." Brockie performed in the persona of Oderus Urungus.
James Rebhorn, whose acting resume includes a long list of character roles in major films and TV shows, died March 21, his representative said. Rebhorn was 65.
L'Wren Scott, a noted fashion designer and girlfriend of musician Mick Jagger, was found dead of an apparent suicide March 17, according to a law enforcement official. She was 49.
Drummer Scott Asheton, who co-founded and played drums for the influential proto-punk band The Stooges, died March 15. He was 64.
Comedian David Brenner, a regular on Johnny Carson's "The Tonight Show," died after a battle with cancer, a family spokesman said March 15. He was 78.
Actress Sheila MacRae, who portrayed Alice Kramden in a 1960s revival of "The Honeymooners" on "The Jackie Gleason Show," died on March 6, according to her family. She was 92.
Spanish guitarist Paco de Lucia, seen here in 2006, died February 25 of an apparent heart attack. He was 66. De Lucia transformed the folk art of flamenco music into a more vibrant modern sound.
Actor, writer and director Harold Ramis, seen here on the far left with fellow "Ghostbusters" Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray, died at his Chicago-area home on February 24. He was 69. Other popular Ramis films include "Stripes," "Groundhog Day" and "Analyze This."
Maria von Trapp, seen here posing with a photo of her family, was the last of the singing siblings immortalized in the movie "The Sound of Music." She died February 18 of natural causes at her Vermont home, according to her family. She was 99.
Journalist Garrick Utley died at age 74 following a long battle with cancer, his wife of 40 years said in February. Utley worked for CNN after his 30-year career at NBC News.
Devo guitarist Bob Casale, known by fans as "Bob 2," died February 17, his brother and band mate announced. Casale was 61.
John Henson, the son of Jim Henson who is perhaps most notable for his portrayal of Sweetums on "The Muppets," died after a "sudden, massive heart attack," his family's company said on February 15.
Veteran actor Ralph Waite died at 85 on February 13, according to an accountant for the Waite family and a church where the actor was a regular member. Waite was best known for his role as John Walton Sr. on 'The Waltons."
Sid Caesar, whose clever, anarchic comedy on such programs as "Your Show of Shows" and "Caesar's Hour" helped define the 1950s "Golden Age of Television," died on February 12. He was 91.
Hollywood child star Shirley Temple, who became diplomat Shirley Temple Black, died February 10 at her Woodside, California, home. She was 85.
Joan Mondale, the wife of former Vice President Walter Mondale, died on February 3, according to a statement from the family's church.
Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in his Manhattan apartment of an apparent drug overdose, law enforcement sources said February 2.
Maximilian Schell died on February 1 in a Austrian hospital with his wife by his side, his agent Patricia Baumbauer said. He was 83. Schell was nominated for an Oscar three times. He won in 1962 for "Judgment at Nuremberg."
Legendary folk singer Pete Seeger, known for classics such as "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" and "If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song)," died of natural causes in New York on January 27, his grandson told CNN. He was 94.
Ruth Robinson Duccini, who played one of the Munchkins in the 1939 classic "The Wizard of Oz," died on January 16. She was 95.
Former Playboy centerfold Cassandra Lynn Hensley was found dead at a friend's home in Los Angeles, the coroner there said on January 17. Hensley was 34. Her cause of death was not immediately known.
Hiroo Onoda, center, salutes after handing over his military sword on Lubang Island in the Philippines in March 1974. Onoda, a former intelligence officer in the Japanese army, had remained on the island for nearly 30 years, refusing to believe his country had surrendered in World War II. He died at a Tokyo hospital on January 16. He was 91.
Russell Johnson, center, stands with Alan Hale Jr., left, and Bob Denver in an episode of "Gilligan's Island" in 1966. Johnson, who played "the professor" Roy Hinkley in the hit television show, passed away January 16 at his home in Washington state, according to his agent, Mike Eisenstadt. Johnson was 89.
Ariel Sharon, whose half century as a military and political leader in Israel was marked with victories and controversies, died on January 11 after eight years in a coma, Israeli Army Radio reported. Sharon was 85.
Franklin McCain, seen center wearing glasses, one of the "Greensboro Four," who made history for their 1960 sit-in at a Greensboro Woolworth's lunch counter, died on January 10 after a brief illness, according to his alma mater, North Carolina A&T State University.
Larry Speakes, who served as President Ronald Reagan's press secretary, died January 10 at his home in Cleveland, Mississippi, following a lengthy illness, according to Bolivar County Coroner Nate Brown. He was 74.
Poet Amiri Baraka, who lost his post as New Jersey's poet laureate because of a controversial poem about the 9/11 terror attacks, died on January 9, his agent said. Baraka was 79.
Sir Run Run Shaw, the media tycoon who helped bring Chinese martial arts films to an international audience, died at his home in Hong Kong on January 7 at age 106, the television station he founded said.
Stage, TV and film actress Carmen Zapata, who founded the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts as a means of of introducing "the rich and eloquent history of the diverse Hispanic culture to English-speaking audiences," died on January 5 at her Los Angeles home. She was 86.
Portugal football legend Eusebio, who was top scorer at the 1966 World Cup, died from a heart attack on January 5 at age 71, said his former club, Benfica.
Alicia Rhett, who had been one of the oldest surviving cast members of the classic film "Gone With the Wind," died on January 3 in her longtime hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, a retirement community spokeswoman said. She was 98.
Singer Phil Everly, left -- one half of the groundbreaking, smooth-sounding, record-setting duo the Everly Brothers -- died on January 3, a hospital spokeswoman said. He was 74.
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Photos: People we lost in 2014
Hill was flown to University of Utah Medical Center, where he later died, according to Anderton and Facebook postings by Hill's sister Karen Tracy.
"Bachelorette" producers sent a statement to CNN saying they are "deeply saddened to hear about the tragic passing of our friend, Eric Hill."
"Eric inspired us every day with his passion, his courage and his adventurous spirit, and for that we are very thankful," the show's statement said.*"On behalf of our cast, crew and producers, we send our love, our thoughts and our prayers to Eric's family during this difficult time."
The 10th season of the show premieres on May 19.
Hill's Facebook page and website proclaimed that he would visit "every country in world record time" while "sharing the awesome that exists in every country, especially with the people!"
His "Global Odyssey" page said: "But this is not your ordinary travel blog, for you see, YOU will decide what he does (and what he eats) in virtually every country. From skydiving over Australia, to eating scorpions on the Great Wall of China, we'll be posting items for you to vote on ... and he promises to do as you command!"
"Eric took very calculated risks, he was never reckless," a note posted on his Facebook page said.
CNN's Joan Yeam contributed to this report.
