Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch is known for showing the dangers of crab fishing in Alaska. But the show also delves into the lives of the fisherman aboard the large fishing vessels. Unfortunately, a few cast members have died of drug overdoses through the years. Here are two Deadliest Catch cast members who died from overdosing.
‘Deadliest Catch’ star Nick McGlashan overdosed from meth, cocaine, and fentanyl
Nick McGlashan was a seventh-generation fisherman who died at 33 years old due to a deadly mix of meth, cocaine, and fentanyl. The Deadliest Catch star died in December 2020.
Investigator Krista Hammonds for Nashville’s Center for Forensic Medicine filed a report after his death. According to The Sun, “this 33-year-old male was found unresponsive in the bathroom of his hotel room,” and “the decedent had a known history of illicit drug abuse.” The report added that there was “drug paraphernalia nearby. Forensic pathologist Dr. William McClain wrote that he “died as a result of the toxic effects of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl.”
McGlashan joined the Discovery Channel series in 2013 and appeared in 78 episodes as a deck boss. Unfortunately, he was temporarily suspended from the show in 2013 due to drug use. He overdosed three times before heading to rehab in 2016.
McGlashan wrote about his addiction in Chosen Magazine. “When I ceased to be an active addict I was drinking half a gallon of vodka, shooting two grams of heroin, and one gram of meth every day,” he wrote. “My mind, body, and spirit were so diseased, I welcomed my own death, I was ready to die. A lot of addicts justify their drug of choice. … On November 11th at 11:11 pm I walked through the doors of a treatment facility; scariest thing I’ve ever done, (but) also the best thing I’ve ever done. I was broken, hopeless, without love, strength, or honesty, all of which my disease had hidden from me.”
Deckhand Mahlon Reyes died from a cocaine overdose
Deadliest Catch star Mahlon Reyes also died from a drug overdose. The deckhand died of a cocaine overdose in July 2020. He first started appearing on Deadliest Catch in 2012 and quickly became a fan-favorite cast member.
Reyes’ wife, Heather Sullivan wrote about the situation on Facebook. “On Saturday, July 26, Mahlon suffered a heart attack, when paramedics reached him he was not breathing and had no pulse,” she wrote. “The doctors, nurses, and team at North Valley Hospital worked so hard to get him back and after 45 minutes they were able to get his pulse back. He was transferred to the ICU at KRMC. Mahlon never woke up. There was too much time without oxygen, causing irreversible brain damage.
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She then explained that their family had decided to remove him from life support. “Mahlon’s body was tired and had put up an amazing fight,” she continued. “He was the strongest guy we knew.”
Jake Anderson opened up about his past drug use
Fourth-generation fisherman Jake Anderson made a name for himself on Deadliest Catch. And he also revealed his past drug addiction.
When Anderson was 19 years old, he broke his ankle, which led him to alcohol and cannabis. From here, he began trying harder drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine. Eventually, he found himself addicted to painkillers.
Thankfully, Anderson stopped his drug use in 2009, and he explained on the show that he was driven to get clean after his sister died. There are several episodes of Deadliest Catch that show Anderson on his sobriety journey while fishing.
Deadliest Catch Season 19 airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery Channel.
Elements of this story were first reported by Heavy.
How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
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