How did Gregory Colburn die? ‘Deadliest Catch’ Season 22 honors Keith Colburn’s late nephew with heartfelt tribute
The latest ‘Deadliest Catch’ Season 22 Episode 10, titled ‘He’s In the Water!’ featured many significant events, including a heartfelt homage. By the end of the episode, viewers witnessed a tribute to Monte Colburn’s son, Gregory Colburn, a former crew member. He was part of the Discovery series from 2018 to 2022. The July 17 episode turned out to be quite emotional for fans of the show as they read, “This episode is dedicated to Monte’s son Gregory Colburn, Wizard crewman 2018–2022.” Fans witnessed a video montage featuring Gregory’s time on the show throughout the year. The former cast member died on May 19, 2026, in a motorcycle accident.
The former 32-year-old crew member grew up in Kings Beach, California. He worked in restaurants surrounding North Lake Tahoe. After joining the Discovery show and onboarding the vessel, he “found his calling fishing crab on the Bering Sea in Alaska.” His obituary read, “Gregory was proud of his time at sea and of being on The Discovery Channel reality show Deadliest Catch.” During his time on the show, he lived in Chico, California. It’s the place where he met his fiancée, Caitlin Nenadal. The obituary further mentioned that he “lived for Caitlin, to whom he was engaged, and for riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.”
Gregory is survived by his daughter, Scarlett; his fiancée; his parents, Catherine and Monte Colburn; his grandfather, Martin Urjevich; five of his siblings; aunts, uncles, and cousins; and his friends. While the show paid a tribute, his cause of death has not yet been publicly disclosed. “Gregory had a heart of gold which shone through his eyes and his smile; his kind heart was rivaled only by his loyalty to his family and friends. Gregory impacted all whose lives he touched, and he will be sorely missed,” the obituary continued. Gregory’s uncle, Captain Keith Colburn, has been on the show since its third season. It aired in 2007. He joined the Wizard, a ship owned and operated by his uncle.
The latest episode of the show also featured a life-threatening situation. It was when one of the crew members, a deckhand, Lynn Guitard, fell overboard in 15-foot seas. Keith and his brother Monte, who led the rescue efforts, were concerned after they lost sight of Lynn. However, soon, the crew threw a life sling and managed to pull Lynn back on board. They rushed to warm him to prevent hypothermia. “Everything went right when so many things could have gone wrong,” noted Keith. Fans can stream ‘Deadliest Catch’ on Fridays at 8 pm ET/ PT on Discovery Channel.
