Pop culture commentator Perez Hilton shared his reaction to the interview given by Todd Meadows’s mother following the Deadliest Catch star’s demise. Meadows, who was a recent addition to Discovery’s crab-fishing series, died on February 25, reportedly during filming. On Tuesday, the US Coast Guard confirmed to PEOPLE that Meadows fell overboard from the vessel Aleutian Lady while fishing in the Bering Sea near Unalaska.
When he was recovered by the crew after ten minutes, he was found unresponsive. After attempts to resuscitate him failed, Meadows’ body was transported to Dutch Harbor. On March 2, the vessel’s Captain Rick Shelford announced Todd Meadows’ death via an Instagram post.
TMZ spoke with the mother of the late deckhand on Wednesday. Angela Meadows told the outlet that she does not want to see the footage of the accident and requested that Discovery not air the footage.
Perez Hilton discussed Todd Meadows’ mother’s interview in his Wednesday blog post. The podcaster stood by Angela’s demand and wrote:
“His mother is making it clear she NEVER wants the footage of his death to see the light of day… It’s not clear if they caught the actual moment he went overboard, but either way, Angela Meadows wants the footage to stay off air. That’s more than understandable… If the network were to try and profit off something so tragic… That’d just be soulless.”
In her interview, Angela Meadows said she only wanted “good things” to be aired about her late son. As shared by TMZ, she also asked for footage of Todd crabbing on the vessel so she could keep it as a memory. As the investigation continues, Todd Meadows’ mother said she hopes for justice.
“We don’t want to put the blame on anyone, but someone has to take responsibility. We will have justice for Todd.”
Captain Rick Shelford sheds light on Todd Meadows’ life in his tribute post
In his March 2 post on Facebook and Instagram, the Aleutian Lady captain remembered Todd Meadows. Rick Shelford said that the late deckhand was the newest addition to the crew and quickly “became family.” Shelford referred to the day Meadows died as the “most tragic day in the history of the Aleutian Lady.”
“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,” Rick Shelford wrote.
He added,
“Todd’s love for his children, his family, and his life was evident in everything he did. He worked hard, loved deeply, and brought joy to those around him.”
Rick Shelford urged people to pray for Todd Meadows’ children and family. In a statement to PEOPLE, a spokesperson for the Discovery Channel also paid tribute to Meadows.
A GoFundMe was set up following the death of the 25-year-old Deadliest Catch star. According to the campaign description, Meadows is survived by his three sons.
“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,” the GoFundMe description read.
The death of Todd Meadows was attributed to a fall overboard from the vessel, though the exact circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear.
Edited by Anuj Singh Kushwaha
