Todd Meadows, a deckhand who was a recent addition to the television reality show “Deadliest Catch,” died on Feb. 25. He was 25.
Meadows’ death was announced in a March 2 social media post by “Deadliest Catch” star Rick Shelford, the captain of the “Aleutian Lady” who appeared in 37 episodes of the show from 2023 to 2025.
Shelford said that Meadows died while fishing in the Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska, People reported.
TMZ was the first media outlet to report Meadows’ death.
“Right now, our hearts are broken in a way that words can’t fully express,” Shelford wrote. “Todd will forever be part of this boat, this crew, and this brotherhood. Though we lost him far too soon, his legacy will live on through his children and in every memory we carry of him.”
No cause of death was given.
A GoFundMe campaign for Meadows said he died “while he was out at sea.”
“We are heartbroken to share the sudden passing of Todd Morgan Meadows, a beloved 25-year-old father, son, brother and friend, who left us far too soon while doing what he loved — crabbing out on Alaskan waters,” the GoFundMe page read.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Discovery Channel -- the network that airs “Deadliest Catch” -- said the cable network was “deeply saddened by Meadows’ death, NBC News reported.
“This is a devastating loss, and our hearts are with his loved ones, his crewmates, and the entire fishing community during this incredibly difficult time,” the spokesperson said.
“Deadliest Catch” premiered in 2005. It follows crab fishermen off the coast of Alaska as they navigate the treacherous waters of the Bering Sea.
The GoFundMe page, set up for Meadows’ family, noted that the fisherman “left us far too soon while doing what he loved — crabbing out on Alaskan waters."
“He was a determined dad to three amazing little boys who were his entire world,” the page noted. “Everything he did was for them — their smiles, their futures, and the memories they will carry with them."
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