How did 'Deadliest Catch' star Nick McGlashan die? Deck boss passes away at 33 as show is hit with tragedy again
There have been a string of tragedies in 2020 and the latest one that fans have to deal with, is the death of Nick McGlashan, of 'Deadliest Catch' fame. This marks the eighth death from the crew and cast in the past decade. TMZ reported Nick, a seventh-generation fisherman and crabber who appeared on the Discovery Channel reality series for seven years, died on Sunday (December 27). The cause of death has yet to be examined, the outlet mentioned, citing the family and medical examiner. His death is still under investigation.
His death was first reported by his sister Lydia and later confirmed by Today after discussing with the Forensic Medical Management in Nashville. Lydia shared a tweet late on December 28 and expressed her grief at his passing. "My brother nick passed away. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through. Please hold your loved ones tight."
My brother nick passed away. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through. Please hold your loved ones tight.
— Lyd (@sweetsealyd) December 28, 2020
Discovery released a statement to CNN, "Our deepest sympathy goes out to Nick's loved ones during this difficult time. Nick came from a long line of crabbers and was known for his great depth of knowledge. He also had a sharp sense of humor even in the most difficult conditions. He will be deeply missed by all those who knew him."
The Discovery show Nick was part of chronicles the lives of the crew members working aboard the fishing vessels in the Bering sea. According to his biography on the Discovery Go site, he was "a 7th generation fisherman who was raised not far from Dutch Harbor on the nearby island of Akutan, Alaska. He was named after his great uncle Nick McGlashan, who worked on the first boat rumored to have pioneered the US crab industry, the F/V Deep Sea, built in 1947. Two of Nick's aunts were also crabbers; one was lost at sea when the boat sank in 1986."
He worked as a deck boss on 'Deadliest Catch' and has been on the series since 2013. He had opened up about his struggle with substance abuse in a Chosen Magazine article titled 'The Deadliest Disease'. "My life went from Bering Sea badass to full-blown junkie very rapidly. Hidden from me was that passion I had for life. Taken from me was my ability to live. I was at war with my addiction and it was winning," he had written. He added that he had been abusing alcohol, heroin and methamphetamine, overdosing three times before he went into rehab in September 2016 and got sober. In Season 13, he was kicked off the boat during Season 13, to deal with his addiction.
"Though he's had his ups and downs, Nick has battled endlessly to stay sober and embrace a new sober lifestyle and is now so committed to his recovery that he inspires others in their own," according to his Discovery Go bio.
Nick's death comes four moths after the death of deckhand Mahlon Reyes, who reportedly died at the age of 38 in August after suffering a heart attack.