Man Dies On Trip Won On Ellen DeGeneres Show

A 33-year-old man died Saturday afternoon while skydiving with his wife in Australia — a trip she won in a competition on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in January.

He crashed into the ground after a flawless descent that ended with unexplained complications that remain under investigation.

Brandon McGraw, 33, of Hampstead died in Euroa, Australia — which is in Melbourne, Victoria — while skydiving with his wife, Cherilyn McGraw, a special education teacher at Topsail Elementary School.

The couple was jumping with members of Euroa Skydive, an Australian skydiving school.

Ian Matthews, who works at Euroa Skydive, told The Daily News that Brandon was an experienced skydiver with more than “a few jumps under his belt.”

“McGraw watched his wife do a tandem jump before exiting the plane,” Matthews said. “He floated for three or four minutes with a good canopy.

“A short time before landing, he suddenly began turning his parachute dramatically to the left and right and eventually crashed into the ground,” Matthews added.

According to media reports, the emergency call was made about 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

Matthews said McGraw had successfully completed steps that the school requires of those making solo descents — including training and providing proper documentation — before taking his last jump.

McGraw’s death marks the school’s first fatality since it opened in 1983, according to the Euroa Skydive website.

The school asserts it has “the best safety record in Victoria without question!” according to the website.

Repeated calls by The Daily News to Euroa Police Department all reached busy signals Sunday afternoon. The department is investigating McGraw’s death.

“The police department is doing an excellent job looking after his family and doing the processes to check equipment and procedures,” Matthews said. “Then it will go to the coroner’s court, where it will be discussed.”

Although a cause of death has not been released, Australian news media have reported high winds in the area may have factored in the tragedy.

Cherilyn McGraw won the trip to Australia on The Ellen DeGeneres Show during the “Stuff Your Down Under Pants” contest while on the show Jan. 16.