This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A contestant on the upcoming season of "The Bachelorette" died Wednesday from injuries he suffered in a Utah paragliding accident.
Eric Jonathan Hill, 31, crashed Sunday in Draper at the popular paragliding spot at Point of the Mountain, his family confirmed Wednesday.
One of Hill's brothers, Brian Hill, said doctors at University Hospital removed him from life support Tuesday night. Eric Hill died early Wednesday.
Brian Hill said his brother's chute deployed, then collapsed.
"When he pulled the chute there was an issue with the chute that took him too close to the mountain and kind of slammed him into the mountain," Brian Hill told he Tribune.
Eric Hill was from Citrus Heights, Calif. He had a bachelor's degree in biology from Brigham Young University. His home was in Salt Lake City.
He had a project called The Global Odyssey where he was trying to visit all 195 countries recognized by the United Nations in a world record time: three years, three months and six days.
The project started Feb. 19, 2013. His website indicates Eric Hill visited his 46th country, Somalia, in December.
"He was quite a world traveler," Brian Hill said. "[Paragliding] was run-of-the-mill compared to most of his other activities."
The Global Odyssey wasn't just about travel, Brian Hill said. He said his brother enjoyed the people he met along the way.
"He would want people to remember him for living life to the fullest," Brian Hill said. "He loved people and he just wanted people to realize just how great people were all around the world."
People.com reported Eric Hill was to compete for the heart of a bachelorette on the show's upcoming season. The website said he apparently had already been eliminated when the accident occurred.
Eric Hill is survived by his parent, four brothers and a sister.
Twitter: @natecarlisle