HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Captain Phil Harris, the captain behind the Discovery Channel reality series Deadliest Catch, died Tuesday after suffering a massive stroke last month. He was 53.
“It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our dad, Captain Phil Harris,” said his sons, Josh and Jake, in a statement. “Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end. For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down. We will remember and celebrate that strength. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers.”
Harris, a veteran of the commercial fishing industry and captain of the Cornelia Marie, had been making progress in his recovery since suffering a stroke on Jan. 29. His Discovery Channel show depicts the crab fishing industry in the dangerous waters off Alaska.
“Discovery mourns the loss of dear friend and colleague Captain Phil Harris,” the network said in a statement. “He was more than someone on our television screen. Phil was a devoted father and loyal friend to all who knew him. We will miss his straightforward honesty, wicked sense of humor and enormous heart. We share our tremendous sadness over this loss with the millions of viewers who followed Phil’s every move. We send our thoughts and prayers to Phil’s sons Josh and Jake and the Cornelia Marie crew.”
