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'Bachelorette' Contestant, And Citrus Heights Native, Dies After Paragliding Accident

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (CBS13) - Several media outlets are reporting Eric Hill, a contestant on the tenth season of "The Bachelorette" and Citrus Heights native, has died as the result of a paragliding accident.

His sister, Karen Tracy, shared the news via Facebook today.

"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," she posted. "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."

According to KTVX-TV in Salt Lake City, Hill was paragliding with a friend Sunday when his chute suddenly collapsed. The accident reportedly happened at about 3 p.m. according to CBS affiliate KUTV-TV in Salt Lake City.

"He experienced a partial parachute collapse, which swung him into the mountainside with some velocity," United Fire Authority Battalion Chief Brian Anderton told the KUTV. "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."

Crews reportedly found Hill unconscious but breathing 100 to 150 feet up the mountain. A technical rescue team scaled the steep terrain and, by setting up ropes, carried him to a nearby medial helicopter. He was then flown to the University of Utah.

Hill's official website, GoWithEric.com, chronicled his travels to dozens of countries across the world. His goal was to break the Guinness Book record of visiting all UN-recognized countries in the shortest time possible.

The website also notes Hill's Citrus Heights upbringing. Hill was also a graduate of Brigham Young University, where he majored in Human Biology and minored in Business Management.

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