What Happened To Nick McGlashan On Deadliest Catch?

Deadliest Catch, the Emmy-winning Discovery series about crab fishermen on the Bering Sea, introduced Nick McGlashan in 2013. The Deck Boss went on to feature in no less than 80 episodes of the show and became one of the series’ most recognizable faces. So, what happened to him?

Nick McGlashan’s Struggle With Addiction

Unfortunately, McGlashan struggled with alcohol and substance abuse. The effects of this were seen on the show, most notably when he was temporarily kicked off his boat, the F/V Summer Bay in Season 13 to deal with his addiction.

“My life went from Bering Sea badass to full-blown junkie very rapidly. Hidden from me was that passion I had for life,” he wrote on Chosen Magazine in 2017. “Taken from me was my ability to live. I was at war with my addiction and it was winning.”

Nick McGlashan’s Tragic Ending

Although McGlashan struggled for sobriety and encouraged others to do the same, he ultimately met a tragic and untimely end. On December 27, 2020, McGlashan lost his life to a drug overdose. He was only 33 at the time. This came mere months after his friend and co-star, Mahlon Reyes, suffered a similar fate. 

After his passing, Deadliest Catch featured a tribute episode to McGlashan in which the various crews had a wake for the fisherman at sea.

Who Was Nick McGlashan?

Nick McGlashan was a seventh-generation fisherman who first started working on a boat when he was 13. He was named after his great uncle, who worked on one of the very first crab fishing vessels. Two of his aunts were also crabbers.

McGlashan was introduced on Deadliest Catch during Season 9, which aired in 2013. He first appeared as a Deck Hand on the F/V Cape Caution before graduating to the Deck Boss of the F/V Summer Bay. He also appeared on numerous spinoff series, including Deadliest Catch: Captain vs. Captain and Bering Sea Gold.

McGlashan spoke publicly about his struggles with alcohol, heroin and methamphetamine. According to CNN, the crab fisherman and reality TV star overdosed three times before entering treatment in September 2016.

Deadliest Catch is currently streaming on Discovery Plus and Hulu.