Understanding the grief and health concerns behind celebrity deaths
The death of a celebrity often triggers collective mourning and, for some, serious health concerns. Here’s why it happens and how to take care of yourself.
Days after news broke of “Deadliest Catch” star Todd Meadows’ death, his companion on the Discovery show spoke out.
Trey John Green III, who said he slept next to Meadows on the Aleutian Lady, the crab fishing boat at the center of the series, told Us Weekly that his death was a “tragedy” and that it was captured on film.
“Todd was a wonderful human being,” Green told the media, adding that Meadows, 25, fell overboard. “Unfortunately, it ended in tragedy,” he said, adding that the crew “did everything in their power to save him.”
Mr Green went on to say that saving lives was “no easy task” and acknowledged that his passenger died “at sea”.
“Filming for ‘Discovery’ has finished, but for the past two months producers and deck cameramen have been on the boat filming season 22 of the show,” he added. “Unfortunately, it was being filmed… There was also a deck camera that recorded everything 24/7, so the entire incident was captured as well.”
USA TODAY has reached out to Discovery for comment.
Meadows, the deckhand for the thrill chase show that followed crab fishermen off the coast of Alaska as they navigated life-threatening conditions during Bering Sea expeditions, died on February 25. Meadows’ official cause of death has not been disclosed, but Green and other cast members confirmed that he died in the Bering Sea, the dangerous strait that separates Alaska and Russia. A GoFundMe has since been set up to raise support for the three sons, raising more than $37,000.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Todd Meadows,” a representative for Warner Bros. Discovery, which broadcasts “Deadliest Catch,” said in a statement after Meadows’ death. “This is a devastating loss, and our hearts go out to his loved ones, his crew, and the entire fishing community at this incredibly difficult time.”
Rick Shelford, the captain of the Aleutian Lady, also mourned Meedown in a lengthy social media post, saying, “We have lost a brother.”
“Todd was a new member of our crew and quickly became part of the family. His love of fishing and his strong work ethic quickly earned everyone’s respect,” Shelford wrote on Facebook. “His smile was contagious. His laughter, heard across the wheelhouse steps and deck calls, is something we will always have.”
