What Happened to Nick on ‘Deadliest Catch’?
If you haven’t seen all the action-packed fishing on Deadliest Catch, you’re really missing out! The show has been following the crew of Captain “Wild” Bill Wichrowski’s Alaskan fishing team since 2005, and it’s now streaming on discovery+. It features the highs and lows of fisherman life and also the very real dangers of the job. The crew is often subjected to frigid temperatures, treacherous storms, and wicked waves threatening to throw them overboard at any moment. Deadliest Catch also features the lives of many of the crew, including the late Nick McGlashan.
Nick was an integral part of the Deadliest Catch cast for years and was an important part of the crew. He took his role seriously and was a dedicated fisherman. While his job was dangerous, he didn’t die while on one of the beloved fishing boats.
Who was Nick on ‘Deadliest Catch’?
Nick was a beloved team member on Deadliest Catch and has been featured in 78 episodes. He worked as a deck boss, but his fishing career didn’t start on Deadliest Catch. He has a long history of fishing in his family and began crabbing at the age of 13. He quickly rose up the ranks and became an expert crabber.
He joined the cast of Deadliest Catch in 2013 and became a fan favorite as well as an advanced fisherman. Nick was an essential part of the Summer Bay team and was an invaluable asset to Wild Bill, heading up the crew and doing anything that needed to be done.
What happened to Nick?
Nick was open about his drug addiction and never claimed to be a perfect person. He struggled with illicit drug use and had highs and lows for several years. The lowest point came when he was kicked off Deadliest Catch due to his continued drug abuse.
He was kicked off the show in season 13, which caused him to re-evaluate his life. He eventually went to rehab and got clean by staying in a 12-step program and being in constant contact with his sponsor. He was clean and sober for a period of time and tried to live life to the fullest.
Nick eventually relapsed and overdosed in December 2020. He was on a trip to Nashville, Tennessee, where he was found in his hotel room. Reports stated EMS attempted to resuscitate him, but they were unsuccessful. His cause of death was officially a toxic drug overdose. He was only 33 years old and left behind a family and many friends grappling in his wake.
Nick may be gone, but he’ll never be forgotten
Of those hit the hardest by Nick’s death were his crew-mates from Deadliest Catch. The news of his tragic death was captured by cameras during filming and shows just how hard the crew took it.
Captain Sig Hansen first reported that he had received text messages with stories of the overdose. Nick’s death was confirmed with a call to Captain Bill, during which his immediate reaction was “Oh my God.” Captain Wild Bill had worked closely with Nick over the years and thought of him as family.
The crew organized a tribute for Nick, which included every boat from Deadliest Catch meeting out on the water. During the event, Captain Bill gave a speech in which he started, “I lost a trusted friend, an outstanding employee, and a brother in life.” The memorial ended with the Captain throwing Nick’s hook into the water for one last cast and setting off flares in honor of their late fellow crew member.
How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
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