The Death of A Man

For the last few years I have watched television show The Deadliest Catch. I have not been a rabid fan. I missed the entire last season. However, I have always enjoyed the show when I watched it.

This season has been different. Earlier this year I saw the Facebook message from the producer of Dirty Jobs that told us about the death of Captain Phil Harris. I did not want to watch the show. I missed most of this season. About two weeks ago I turned on the television and the show was on. It caught me. I went to iTunes purchased the season. Over the last week my wife and I have been catching up with the season.

Even though we knew that Captain Phil had died the show is no less emotional. In fact some of the scenes are even more powerful knowing what would come. There are this moments watching him mentoring his sons. Then there are the moments when he says how glad he is to have a little more time to teach them.

Perhaps most touching is the scene, shot shortly before his stroke. In that scene he is looking back over his family photos. You see all of the childhood pictures of his sons.

As a rule I am wary of this strange thing known as reality tv. Often is is not real. More often it portrays the worst sort of person. At other times the shows seem like a type of voyeurism. The show Dirty Jobs changed much of that. Mike Rowe honors the men and women he works with. It is a humorous program. Deadliest Catch intrigued me because it too showed honor and respect to the hard working men of the fishing fleet.

As the news of Phil's stroke spread to the other vessels of the fleet I saw something that moved me. These fishermen are tough men. They are men's men. They work a hard and brutal job. To see these men break down and begin to cry as they heard that their friend might die was one of the most moving things I have ever seen. Phil Harris may have been a hard living, tough man, but the measure of that man is shown by the reaction of those that knew him.

The scenes moving towards his final days are heartbreaking. The strength of character shown by Phil and his oldest son Josh is powerful. The battle between Phil's sons as they begin to feel the weight and the burden of their father's situation is hard. Phil's friend Jonathan Hilstrand, captain of the Time Bandit, sits with his friend and the boys. Seeing Jonathan in tears, sitting in the hospital chapel is truly moving.

Phil's final episode was hard. The episode started with good news. It looked to all involved like he would make it. His younger son Jake left to check himself into rehab. Josh and Phil were able to talk another how much they loved each other. Then, a short while later, he died.

I have never been this moved by television before. The editors and cameramen showed deep compassion and gentleness in showing this. There is no doubt in my mind that Emmy awards are deserved here. If you have not seen this show let me encourage you to do so.

We have been blessed to share a part of this man's life. We have wept at his death. Captain Phil, fair winds and following seas.

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