#Deadliest Catch Star Fisherman Nick McGlashan Dead At 33

Nick McGlashan, a deck boss and commercial fisherman, who was also a regular on Discovery‘s long-running hit reality TV show Deadliest Catch, has died.

According to his family, the seventh-generation fisherman passed away at some point on Sunday in Nashville, Tennessee. He was just 33-years old.

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No cause of death has thus far been reported, and it’s unclear why Nick — who lived and worked in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska — was in Tennessee. TMZ first publicly reported his passing on Monday morning. The Discovery Channel did not immediately comment on the death; a representative for the medical examiner’s office in Davidson County, Tennessee declined to provide any further information.

His sister Lydia confirmed the news on Sunday night, posting to Twitter about his passing and imploring others to remain close to their beloved family members:

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

So sad…

The late fisherman was best known for his appearance on 78 episodes of the hit Discovery reality TV show, spread out across seven different seasons. Originally, he worked on the Cape Caution during the show’s run, but eventually graduated to become the deck boss on the Summer Bay. On the series, he was known as an unrelenting figure who pushed through pain, problems with the boat, and notoriously bad weather to get his job done.

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Away from the boat, McGlashan struggled for a long time with drug and alcohol abuse issues. At one point, he claimed to be drinking up to a half-gallon of vodka every day while also using meth and heroin in various cycles. His addiction problems became so bad that he was eventually suspended from the show for part of season 13, at which point he entered rehab and eventually worked to become clean and sober. After that point, he re-dedicated his life to helping others get clean and live drug-free, as well.

Born in Alaska, the late reality TV star began his crabbing career on the Bering Sea when he was just 13. As a commercial fisherman and crabber, he followed in the footsteps of a great-uncle and two of his aunts — including one who was lost at sea while crabbing — and came from a long line of other family members to take to the water.

Our hearts go out to McGlashan’s family, friends, co-workers, and loved ones as they grapple with his untimely passing. Such a sad, unexpected ending to a life fully lived.

R.I.P.

[Image via Nick McGlashan/Twitter]