The Deadliest Catch cast is mourning one of their own.

In the August 29 episode of the Discovery Channel series, Jake Anderson opened up about the loss of his uncle, Nick Mavar. Mavar died of a heart attack in Crystal Bay, Alaska, on June 13, 2024. He was 59.

Jake Anderson said his uncle Nick Mavar ‘took me under his wing’

In an emotional radio broadcast to other ships in the Deadliest Catch fleet, Anderson remembered the effect Mavar had on his life. The crab fisherman has previously opened up about how his uncle pulled him “out of the mire” in his battle with substance abuse. 

“He took me under his wing. He didn’t just give me a job. He gave me a new life,” the F/V Titan Explorer captain said, tearing up. “I always tried to earn the gift that he gave to me. He was my hero. He was everything I wanted to be.” 

Anderson then invited the other captains to “take a moment and say a prayer,” adding that his ”family would really appreciate it.” He then lit a crab pot ablaze in honor of his late uncle. 

“His pot will rest forever at the bottom of the king crab grounds,” he told the camera. “I think Uncle Nick would have loved that.” 

Sig Hansen remembers ‘Deadliest Catch’ deckhand 

The other Deadliest Catch stars responded with their own touching tributes to Mavar, who appeared in nearly 100 episodes of the fishing reality series from 2005 to 2021. 

Captain Keith Colburn recalled Mavar’s dedication to fishing. “No man has ever served at sea without knowing that each day could be his last,” he said. “We honor our shipmate Nick as we toll the bell to mark the end of his final watch … We’re proud to have served with you and beside you.” His crew then “let it rip” with a fireworks display, which was followed by some clips from Mavar’s time on the show. 

Sig Hansen had a particularly close relationship with Mavar, who was a deckhand on the F/V Northwestern. 

“He was on this boat for over 20 years,” Sig Hansen told one of the Northwestern’s other crew members as they shared a drink before tossing the empty bottle out to sea. “He was family. He was a fisherman inside and out.”

Deadliest Catch airs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Discovery Channel. Episodes also stream on HBO Max.   

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