THE mother of Deadliest Catch star Todd Meadows has pleaded for footage of her son’s death never to be aired.
Cameras were rolling when Meadows went overboard off the coast of Alaska last week.
The 25-year-old fell into the freezing waters of the Bering Sea while filming the long-running Discovery Channel series.
His body was recovered ten minutes later, but attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.
His mother, Angela, told TMZ: “We don’t want to see any footage of the accident and do not want Discovery to air any of that footage or make money off of our son’s death.
“We hope they only air good things of Todd on that boat.”
Instead, Angela said the family has requested footage of Todd crabbing so they can remember him doing what he loved.
The family is still waiting for a definitive answer about how he died, but Angela says she has been assured her son did not suffer in his final moments.
“We don’t want to put the blame on anyone, but someone has to take responsibility. We will have justice for Todd,” she added.
A spokesperson for the US Coast Guard said that on February 25, just after 5pm local time, officials were alerted that Meadows had gone overboard.
The alarm was raised by the fishing vessel Aleutian Lady, which reported he fell into the water about 170 miles north of Dutch Harbour, near Alaska.
Captain Rick Shelford confirmed the devastating loss in a Facebook post, calling February 25 “the most tragic day in the history of the Aleutian Lady on the Bering Sea.”
“We lost our brother, Todd Meadows,” he wrote.
“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.”
Discovery Channel also released a statement: “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.
“Our hearts are broken in a way that words can’t fully express.”
Todd is survived by three sons, and a GoFundMe has been started to support them.
Source : https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/16038701/deadliest-catch-star-death-caught-camera/
