Nick McGlashan, ‘Deadliest Catch’ Deck Boss, Dead at 33

Nick McGlashan, who appeared on the Discovery series Deadliest Catch, died suddenly on Sunday. According to his family and the medical examiner in Nashville, Tennessee, who confirmed the news to TMZ, McGlashan died Sunday. At this time, a cause of death has not been announced. He was 33.

McGlashan’s sister also shared news of his passing on Twitter, where she posted a somber note paying tribute. In the post, she confirmed McGlashan had “passed away.” She said “this is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through” and asked her followers to “please hold your loved ones tight.”

McGlashan, a seventh-generation fisherman, appeared on the Discovery Channel series from 2013 – 2020, appearing as a deck boss in a total of 78 episodes. His start in the crabbing industry, however, began decades earlier, with his family’s roots in the industry. Named after his great-uncle, who, according to his Discovery biography, “worked on the first boat rumored to have pioneered the U.S. crab industry, the F/V Deep Sea,” McGlashan started crabbing on the Bering Sea at age 13 on the F/V Westling. In 2011, McGlashan began working for Wild Bill on the Kodiak, quickly earning Bill’s respect. He headed the crew when Bill ran the Cape Caution and when he eventually bought the Summer Bay.

“Nick is known for his witty quips, working through the pain, and not stopping the job until it’s done,” his biography reads in part. “He has also kept the boat running through all kinds of mechanical issues, manufacturing quick fixes on the fly. Nick has a wealth of fishing experience and, according to Captain Bill, is the epitome of a true crabber.”

McGlashan’s biography noted that he also struggled for years with addiction to alcohol and drugs. He was removed from part of Season 13 of the Discovery series due to these struggles, and he entered rehab. McGlashan said his addiction got so bad that he was he was drinking a half-gallon of vodka and using one gram of meth and 2 grams of heroin in a single day. His biography said McGlashan “has battled endlessly to stay sober and embrace a new sober lifestyle and is now so committed to his recovery that he inspires others in their own.”

McGlashan’s passing is just the latest to rock the Discovery series this year. His fellow Deadliest Catch star Mahlon Reyes, also a deckhand, died in August after suffering a heart attack. He was 38.