"Todd will forever be part of this boat, this crew, and this brotherhood," Captain Rick Shelford wrote in a Facebook post announcing Meadows' death
Credit: Todd Meadows/Facebook
NEED TO KNOW
- Captain Rick Shelford announced that his Deadliest Catch costar Todd Meadows died on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 25
- He shared the news in a Facebook post paying tribute to the late deckhand
- A GoFundMe page was also launched to raise money for Meadows’ family
Todd Meadows, who appeared as a deckhand on the Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch, has died.
On Monday, March 2, Captain Rick Shelford, who appeared on the reality series about the high-stakes world of crab fishing with Meadows, announced in a lengthy tribute on Facebook that the fisherman died on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at the age of 25.
“February 25, 2026 was the most tragic day in the history of the Aleutian Lady on the Bering Sea,” he wrote. “We lost our brother, Todd Meadows. 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,” Shelford added. “He worked hard, loved deeply, and brought joy to those around him. Right now, our hearts are broken in a way that words can’t fully express. We ask that you lift Todd’s children and family in prayer and keep them in your thoughts as they face the days ahead without him.”
The post, which also featured several photos of Meadows on the job, concluded: “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. Rest easy brother, till we meet again.”
No cause of death has been released, but TMZ reported that Meadows died during a fishing-related incident that occurred while filming Deadliest Catch.
Discovery Channel spokesperson shared a statement with PEOPLE.
"We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Todd Meadows," the statement says. "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.”
Credit: GoFundMe
A GoFundMe has also been launched with the goal of raising $16,000 for Meadows’ family.
“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 fundraiser page reads. “He was a determined dad to three amazing little boys who were his entire world. Everything he did was for them — their smiles, their futures, and the memories they will carry with them.”
“This unimaginable loss has left his children without their father, his parents without their son, his siblings without their brother and his family broken,” the statement continues. “As the family navigates this heartbreaking time, we are raising funds to help support his three boys, assist with funeral expenses, and help ease the financial burden in the months ahead. Any donation, no matter the size, will go directly toward honoring his life and ensuring his boys are cared for in the way he would have wanted. If you are unable to give, please keep our family in your prayers and his name alive like he wanted.”
As of March 2, the GoFundMe had raised nearly $14,000.
Credit: GoFundMe
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Meadows is not the first death among the cast in recent years — in June 2024, seasoned deckhand Nick Marvar died at 59 following a “medical emergency.” Four years prior in 2020, deck boss Nick McGlashan died at the age of 33. In May 2018, former Deadliest Catch captain Blake Painter was found dead in his home in Astoria, Oregon. He was 38.
Other stars who have died include Phil Harris, a captain and part-owner of the Cornelia Marie; Justin Tennison, a deckhand on Deadliest Catch's Time Bandit; and Tony Lara, a former Deadliest Catch captain.
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