A young Toronto man who had taken up the hobby of urban exploring and rooftopping — that is, illegally scaling to the tip top of skyscrapers, cranes and other high structures for the sake of a photo op (and the rush) — has died after falling from a tower in the downtown core, and his family is now speaking out to caution others in the community.

Conrad Rybicki's parents say that he passed away in May as a result of his perilous exploits, which they called tragically dangerous when speakingto CTV Newsthis week, adding that the practice is "not entertainment that young people should be interested in."

"You cannot compare it with sports or having hobbies. This is so deadly. One small mistake can end your life," they told the news outlet.

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Thanks to social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, rooftopping has exploded in popularity, with astonishing, heart-stopping photos and footage understandably gaining traction and leading to viral shares. (It is actually a Torontonianwho is creditedwith being the first to kick off the trend more than 15 years ago).

Though Rybicki did not appear to have a massive following,there are indeed postsof him precariously perched dozens of storeys in the sky.

The young man is certainly not the first to die while performing such stunts in recent years, and far from the only one to put himself in dangerous situations for the sake of a pic or clip — Ontario policehave had to issue PSAsasking people to stop "risking their lives for dramatic performances or social media status."

And yet, people continue toclimb on moving subway trains,wander down live tracksand more in Toronto, phones in hand.

Rybicki's death is still being investigated by authorities and a cause of death is yet to be released, CTV News says.