Todd Meadows Cause of Death: What We Know About the 'Deadliest Catch' Star's Death so Far

Todd Meadows, known for his role as a deckhand on Deadliest Catch has died, according to a statement posted on Facebook by Captain Rick Shelford.

“February 25, 2026 was the most tragic day in the history of the Aleutian Lady on the Bering Sea,” Captain Shelford wrote. “We lost our brother, Todd Meadows. Todd was the newest member of our crew, he quickly became family. His love for fishing and his strong work ethic earned everyone’s respect right away. His smile was contagious, and the sound of his laughter coming up the wheelhouse stairs or over the deck hailer is something we will carry with us always.”

Meadows’ exact cause of death is unknown at this time. However, according to TMZ, Meadows died “in a fishing-related incident” while on board on board the Aleutian Lady on the Bering Sea. The outlet reported that the Deadliest Catch crew was filming at the time of the incident, but it’s unknown if anything was caught on camera.

A GoFundMe has been started in an effort to raise money for Meadows’ family. In the fundraiser’s description, it was confirmed that Meadows died while “crabbing out on Alaskan waters.”

“This unimaginable loss has left his children without their father, his parents without their son, his siblings without their brother and his family broken,” the GoFundMe excerpt reads, in part. “As the family navigates this heartbreaking time, we are raising funds to help support his three boys, assist with funeral expenses, and help ease the financial burden in the months ahead. Any donation, no matter the size, will go directly toward honoring his life and ensuring his boys are cared for in the way he would have wanted. If you are unable to give, please keep our family in your prayers and his name alive like he wanted.”

At the time of this writing. more than $11,000 of the $13,000 goal has been raised.

The Discover Channel has also released a statement following news of Meadows’ death.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Todd Meadows. This is a devastating loss, and our hearts are with his loved ones, his crewmates, and the entire fishing community during this incredibly difficult time,” the statement, given to TMZ, read.

Deadliest Catch first premiered on the Discover Channel in April 2005. The series follows crab fishermen as they take on Alaskan king crab and snow crab fishing seasons. Meadows was a rookie deckhand, according to TMZ. He was just 25-years-old.