'Deadliest Catch' Star Captain Rick Shared the News of Deckhand Todd Meadows's Unexpected Death

During the filming of Season 22 of Deadliest Catch, one of the new deckhands of the season, Todd Meadows, died. Captain Rick Shelford shared the news on Facebook and left fans of the Discovery Channel show wondering what happened to Todd and what his official cause of death was. Per Rick's post, Todd's death was unexpected aboard the Aleutian Lady fishing vessel.

The jobs that deckhands, captains, and fishermen take on Deadliest Catch are the real deal. Even if some of the crew met through the show, they are all real-life fishermen, and there are real-life dangers that come with working on these fishing vessels in the Bering Sea. For Todd, his first and only season with the crew and on the show was cut short.

Although an official cause of death was not released to the public immediately following the news of Todd's death, according to TMZ, it was related to fishing aboard the vessel. It's not clear if filming for Deadliest Catch was still underway during the incident that caused Todd's unexpected death on the Aleutian Lady.

Rick wrote in his Facebook post that Todd was a new member of the crew, but that he "quickly became family" for everyone.

"His love for fishing and his strong work ethic earned everyone's respect right away," Rick wrote. "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. 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."

Todd's grandmother commented on the post to agree that Todd was "beloved by many." Todd's sister also commented on Rick's post. She shared that Todd had positive things to say about Rick and the rest of the crew and that he raved about how helpful Rick had been to him as a much younger fisherman.

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the fatality rate for fishermen in the Bering Sea is 80 to 100 times higher than the average fatality rate for workers on the job in the United States. An average of 34 fishing vessels are lost in the Alaskan seas every year, with an average of 24 people whose lives are lost because of the treacherous waters and conditions. For now, however, Todd's exact cause of death was not revealed.

Todd is survived by his three kids and his close relatives. After his death, a GoFundMe was set up to help with funeral costs and to "help ease the financial burden" in the months following his death. Five days after the GoFundMe was started, it reached more than $27,000 with a goal of $28,000.