“Deadliest Catch” star Nick Mavar has died at age 59. The former F/V Northwestern deckhand suffered what was described as “a medical emergency” in Naknek, Alaska, while working at a boatyard, according to a Deadline report. His cause of death was not disclosed, but Bristol Bay Police Chief Jeffrey Eldie did confirm that it was related to a health issue, not due to an accident.
Mavar’s last appearance on “Deadliest Catch” was in 2021. While working on one of the fishing boats featured on the show is a dangerous job, what put Mavar out of commission in 2020 was a ruptured appendix. That medical emergency happened while he was filming the show amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and he later sued F/V Northwestern Captain Sig Hansen because he had been unable to receive timely medical assistance. According to TMZ, he began working as a salmon fisherman after ex iting the show.
A number of “Deadliest Catch” stars have died over the years. Nick Mavar’s nephew, FV Titan Explorer Captain Jake Anderson, just lost his father in 2022. Mavar’s final Instagram post was a tribute to his own dad, who turned 91 years old in December 2023. Now, it has become a place for fans to say goodbye to Mavar.
Nick Mavar looked happy in his final social media updates
According to Variety, doctors found a cancerous tumor when they removed Nick Mavar’s appendix, but he was all smiles in an April 2024 Facebook photo with members of his family. Mavar married a woman named Julie in August 2021, and one of his final Facebook posts was a sweet tribute to her. “Happy Birthday to the most amazing woman I have ever met. I am the luckiest man, honey. Forever and ever,” he wrote in December 2023.
Among those paying tribute to Mavar was another “Deadliest Catch” star and former F/V Northwestern deckhand, Matt Bradley. On Facebook, he recalled the time when Mavar suffered a broken nose while filming the show, praising his former castmate for being so tenacious that he immediately resumed his duties. “Man had supper human strength,” he wrote. Bradley revealed that he attended Mavar’s wedding and remembered some of the happy times they enjoyed together away from work, such as partying at a Nickelback concert. He concluded his moving memorial by writing, “Praying for you and your family … fair winds and following seas.”