‘Deadliest Catch’ Captain Jack Opens Up About Getting ‘Clean’
Captain Jack Bunnell recently opened up about his life leading up to Deadliest Catch. He reportedly struggled with partying and drugs before deciding to become a captain. During Season 19, he opened up about getting clean and becoming a fisherman. Here’s what he revealed.
Captain Jack Shares His Inspiration For Becoming A Crabber
Season 19 of Deadliest Catch showed a rather emotional Captain Jack Bunnell. The Discovery Channel show frequently shows high-stress situations and things can become emotional, but Jack broke down in tears during a confessional.
He spoke about his sentimental reason for becoming a fisherman in the first place. During the November 1, 2023, episode, Jack told viewers about his childhood. More importantly, he spoke about how influential his father was in his life.
This was Jack’s first season as a captain and he was notably nervous about being able to prove himself. “I’ve got to produce,” he stated to the cameras.
His high expectations of himself stem from wanting to be a captain since he was a little boy. While he has a crew he needs to prove himself to, he reveals that he also wants to prove himself to his dad, who later visited the ship during the episode.
Captain Jack’s dad was a commercial fisherman who crabbed in the Bering Sea. The Deadliest Catch star told cameras that he always idolized his dad. “He was this big huge guy, with wide shoulders, big beard, and he was just, like, a fisherman,” Jack said.
The Discovery Channel star went on to share some of his early memories, which involve the ocean and his dad. He spoke about waking up early, getting in the truck, and going to work with his father.
Deadliest Catch Star Recalls His ‘Wake-Up Moment’
However, not everything was always picture-perfect. Jack talked about his parents fighting often. Then, during his teenage years, the Deadliest Catch star started to rebel. He was doing drugs, drinking, and robbing stores.
During this rebellious phase, Jack said he got a call that his father was in the hospital. His dad had a stroke and wasn’t able to communicate or move. As he’s remembering this, Captain Jack starts to cry on camera.
That was his “wake-up moment.” In the months that followed, he started cleaning himself up and began to pursue fishing full-time. “I didn’t want to let my dad down,” he shared with the cameras.
Since then, he has been able to hear his dad tell him how proud he is. The father-son duo was able to share a touching moment together onboard the ship, which was something they didn’t think they’d be able to do after his dad’s stroke.
Deadliest Catch is currently on hiatus. You can stream previous episodes on Discovery+.
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