todd meadows, 25, died on Feb. 25 after falling overboard from the Aleutian Lady while filming Deadliest Catch, according to a GoFundMe set up to support his wife and three children and a death certificate obtained by investigators. The certificate lists 'drowning with probable hypothermia' and 'submersion of body in cold water.'
In the days after the accident his mother, Angela, has publicly asked Discovery Channel not to air any footage of the incident. '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 said, adding that no parent would want the world to watch their child die.
Angela also requested records and footage from her son’s time on the boat, saying he worked there to do a job he loved rather than to win friends. Friends and crewmates have described him as a hard worker who loved his children and family.
A spokesperson for the United States Coast Guard Arctic District said Meadows was found unresponsive about 10 minutes after falling off the vessel. 'First aid and attempts to resuscitate were unsuccessful,' the statement said, and officials said they were investigating the circumstances to determine cause and any corrective actions.
Reports indicate filming wrapped shortly after the incident and that the vessel had been the last one at sea for the season. Deadliest Catch, which premiered in 2005, follows king crab fishermen working in Alaska and the Bering Sea; the show's title reflects the well-known dangers of that work.
Captain Rick Shelford, who served on the Aleutian Lady, called Meadows’ death 'the most tragic day in the history of the Aleutian Lady' and praised his smile, laughter and dedication to his family. A Discovery Channel spokesperson called Meadows’ death 'a devastating loss' and said the network's thoughts were with his loved ones, crewmates and the wider fishing community.
