A Vancouver-area family is mourning the death of a 28-year-old man who died after a jump south of the border on Wednesday.

Friends say Thomas Koessler was one of two people who collided mid-air during a jump in Eloy, Ariz., an area popular with skydivers.

The local sheriff's office said he was knocked out in the air. His parachute deployed automatically, but because he was unconscious, he couldn't control his landing and went down hard.

Surgeons tried to save his life, but he died as a result of his injuries.

Koessler was not a stranger to extreme sports, posting about his hair-raising adventures including cliff jumping and base jumping on social media. Those who knew him remember him as an adventurous soul who lived life to the fullest.

The collision appears to be an accident, but officials said the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating exactly what happened.

With a report from CTV Vancouver's Penny Daflos