Deadliest Catch star Todd Meadows died at age 25 while working as a deckhand on the Aleutian Lady fishing vessel, which has been featured on the Discovery Channel show.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Todd Meadows,” a spokesperson for the network told TMZ on March 2. “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.”
A GoFundMe was launched to raise money in the wake of Meadows’ death. The fundraiser, which referred to the late reality star as someone who loved “crabbing out on Alaskan waters,” has a goal of $45,000.
“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 website reads. “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.”
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The Deadliest Catch crew member shared his three sons with partner Kennady Harvey.
Keep scrolling for everything to know about Meadows’ death so far:
Who Was Todd Meadows?
The 25-year-old was “the newest” member of the Aleutian Lady fishing vessel crew, according to a tribute posted by Captain Rick Shelford on March 1.
“His love for fishing and his strong work ethic earned everyone’s respect right away,” Shelford’s Facebook post continued. “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.”
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How Did Todd Meadows Die?
TMZ reported on March 2 that Todd Meadows died in a “fishing-related” incident that occurred while filming Deadliest Catch. It was later reported that he “fell overboard” on February 25.
The incident was caught on cameras while filming for the Discovery Channel show, as confirmed to Us Weekly by Meadows’ bunkmate Trey John Green III.
“Discovery is done filming, but there was a producer and a deck cam guy on the boat for the past two months filming for season 22 of the show,” he said. “It was filmed, unfortunately.”
What Happened to Todd Meadows?
The Coast Guard at the Arctic District command center in Juneau, Alaska, was notified of the incident before working to get Todd Meadows back on board.
“He was recovered unresponsive by the crew approximately 10 minutes later,” a rep for the Coast Guard told Us on March 3, noting that attempts to revive Meadows were “unsuccessful.”
The Coast Guard is “still investigating the situation and following up with any corrective actions and trying to understand the cause of the accident,” per the rep.
What Is Todd Meadows’ Cause of Death?
According to a death certificate obtained by TMZ on April 6, 2026, Todd Meadows’ death was “drowning with probable hypothermia” and “submersion of body in cold water.”
The document noted that Meadows was pronounced dead at 5:15 p.m. on February 25, 2026 in an “accident” aboard the Aleutian Lady crab vessel in the Bering Sea. Per the certificate, Meadows’ body was cremated after being transported back to Anchorage, Alaska.
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Will Todd Meadows’ Death Be Featured on ‘Deadliest Catch’?
Although the Discovery Channel has not announced any plans for how Todd Meadows will be featured in upcoming episodes of Deadliest Catch, crew members confirmed to Us Weekly that cameras were rolling during the deadly incident.
Todd’s mom, Angela Meadows, made it clear that she does not want her son’s death to be featured on the Discovery Channel show.
“We don’t want to see any footage from the accident and do not want Discovery to air any of that footage or make money off of our son’s death,” she told TMZ. “We hope they only air good things of Todd on that boat.”
