Todd Meadows, a crew member on the Aleutian Lady on Discovery Channel series The Deadliest Catch, died while filming the show. He was 25.
Meadows died on Feb. 25; the boat’s captain, Rick Shelford, announced his passing on Monday, March 2 on Facebook. Shelford called Meadows’ passing “the most tragic day in the history of the Aleutian Lady on the Bering Sea.”
“We lost our brother, Todd Meadows,” Shelford wrote. “Todd was the newest member of our crew, he quickly became family. His love for fishing and his strong work ethic earned everyone’s respect right away. His smile was contagious, and the sound of his laughter coming up the wheelhouse stairs or over the deck hailer is something we will carry with us always.”
“Todd’s love for his children, his family, and his life was evident in everything he did. He worked hard, loved deeply, and brought joy to those around him,” the post continued. “Right now, our hearts are broken in a way that words can’t fully express.”
A fundraiser has been set up in Meadows’ name. The Go Fund Me page states that Meadows died while “crabbing out on Alaskan waters.”
Captain Shelford asked for the public to “lift Todd’s children and family in prayer” and to “keep them in your thoughts as they face the days ahead without him.”
Meadows had three sons.
A Discovery Channel spokesperson confirmed the sad news to The Hollywood Reporter.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Todd Meadows,” the spokesperson said in a statement shared with THR. “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.”
“Todd will forever be part of this boat, this crew, and this brotherhood,” Shelford’s social media tribute ends. “Though we lost him far too soon, his legacy will live on through his children and in every memory we carry of him. Rest easy brother, till we meet again.”
Deadliest Catch is produced by Fremantle’s Original Productions. It follows numerous vessels on the very dangerous Bering Sea chasing hauls of Alaskan King Crab. Deadliest Catch unfortunately lives up to its name: Meadows is by no means the first death of a cast member while doing the job. If the sea doesn’t get you, the lifestyle so often does.
Season 21 of the Deadliest Catch concluded in fall 2025; season 22 is expected to air in 2026.
