'Below Deck' star Captain Lee Rosbach mourns death of his youngest son: 'Addiction is an insidious disease'
After battling addiction for 20 years, Joshua Lee Rosbach — the son of Captain Lee Rosbach from 'Below Deck' — passed away on July 22 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida at the age of 42. Expressing their shock and grief, Rosbach shared a tribute for his late son on Instagram after he was laid to rest on July 27. In a long post, he wrote: "This past Saturday, my beloved wife Mary Anne and I laid our youngest son, Joshua Lee Rosbach to rest. After a twenty-year struggle, he finally succumbed to the demons he fought so long and so hard."
Talking about his son's struggle with addiction, he wrote, "Addiction is an insidious disease that knows no social status or geographic boundaries. Whether you live in a 10,000 sq ft mansion or a double-wide trailer, the path of death, destruction and devastation it leaves remains the same. We loved Josh unconditionally and were proud of the man he had become in spite of his problems. There was no one I ever knew who gave more of himself to those in his life. He loved with all his being without expecting anything in return. We both feel a hole in our souls that will never be filled."
"So my message to those of you who are fighting this disease, find a way to get help no matter what. For those of you who have a friend, family member, son, or daughter who's struggling, do whatever it takes to get them the help they need. Be kind and loving, and try to enjoy every second you have with them. Do not pray for our son, but please take care of your children and friends who may need it, as it isn’t too late for them," he added, signing 'Captain & Mary Anne' at the end of his post.
Lee clinched the 'Captain' title because he manned the yacht on which the reality series was shot. Following in his footsteps, his son Joshua too loved being by the sea. From sail boating or being the First Mate aboard a yacht, he loved the ocean and lived right by the water in his home base of Fort Lauderdale, FL, his obituary sums up.
Kate Chastain, another star on 'Below Deck' sent her condolences to Joshua’s family in a statement on Twitter: “Beautifully written statement by Captain Lee at what is certainly a devastating time. I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with Captain Lee & his wife Mary Anne in their home and the love they have for their family has always been a privilege to witness.”
He is survived by his parents, his sister Sherri Ryan and three brothers: Glen Ryan, Sean Rosbach and Eric Rosbach. Keeping Josh's deep affection for animals in mind, his family has asked for donations in Josh’s memory be made to Florida's Humane Society of Broward County.