Justin Tennison Was Remembered by His 'Deadliest Catch' Co-Stars After His Death
"We will miss him terribly and wish his family all the best during this most difficult time," said Andy Hillstrand.
Published July 21 2024, 12:00 p.m. ET
Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch became a quick success as the network showed the difficulties that come with life on fishing vessels, especially on the Bering Sea. Fans watch as they face incredibly difficult and dangerous scenarios.
The docuseries includes a cast of crew members who work together to overcome the seas' most risky moments, all for the triumph of the catch. The crew included deckhand Justin Tennison.
What happened to Justin Tennsion?
Justin died in 2011 at age 33. According to ABC News, he was found dead in an Alaskan hotel a few days after returning from the sea. While his cause of death was not immediately known, it was later determined that he died of complications related to sleep apnea.
Capt. Andy Hillstrand posted on Facebook: "It is with great sadness that the Time Bandit family announces the death of crew member Justin Tennison. Justin died peacefully in his sleep the night of Feb. 21, 2011. Justin was tough as a bull and was an all-around good hand. The captains and crew appreciated his hard work and many contributions this past year. We will miss him terribly and wish his family all the best during this most difficult time," concluded the captain.
The crew also wrote a joint statement about their loss. They described his death as "peaceful in his sleep" and added, "Justin was tough as a bull and was an all-around good hand."
The statement continued: "The captains and crew appreciated his hard work and many contributions this past year. We will miss him terribly and wish his family all the best during this most difficult time. Justin is survived by a son, daughter, sister, father and grandparents."
Justin's death was unexpected as he spent time with his cousin, Eddie Uwekoolani, the night before and didn't exhibit any symptoms of concern. “That evening, he came down to the boat about 10 o’clock, and I had one drink with him and took off to my house with my grandson and son, and next morning called to find out if he was coming to work. I never got a hold of him. I texted him. I just thought he didn’t make it to work,” Eddie told ABC News.
He explained that after he couldn't get a hold of his cousin, their manager went to go check on Justin who was found unresponsive in the hotel room. They then called the cops to respond to the scene.
“We’ve talked about … how living in a high-risk job you never know. His last wishes were to be cremated and taken out to the water for one long trip,” Eddie said. “He loved Alaska. He loved hunting and fishing and everything about it. He loved his kids tremendously.”
Justin's death came less than a year after Phil Harris's.
The Deadliest Catch crew has seen several major losses over the years. Phil Harris's death deeply affected both others on the show and its many fans.
"We’ve had a rough year. Phil Harris died. The boys been having some trouble, the Cornelia boys. … I don’t know if we’re all getting too relaxed or enjoying the movie part, but … everybody is watching their health now,” Eddie said at the time.
