What Happened to ‘Deadliest Catch’s Captain Keith Colburn? Health Issues and More
Deadliest Catch has been confirmed for a Season 21, which means we’ll get another look at groups of crab fishermen putting their lives on the line at sea. While the Season 21 cast has not been announced yet, fans are waiting to find out if we will get the return of Captain Keith Colburn.
Colburn has been on the show since Season 3. He runs the F/V Wizard with his brother, Monte “Mouse” Colburn, but had some health troubles during Season 20. Scroll down for a refresher on Colburn’s scary past medical issues and more.
What happened to Keith Colburn?
During Season 20 of Deadliest Catch, which aired in 2024, Colburn suffered a medical emergency while aboard the F/V Wizard. After an argument with Monte, Colburn lost consciousness and was not responsive. When he came to, he noted that he couldn’t feel his arm and his left side was numb.
The situation became more dire, with fears that Colburn may have had a heart attack or stroke. Monte received correspondence from medical professionals and was urged to get the boat to the harbor so Colburn could get medical attention.
Although it took several hours, Monte eventually navigated the boat to land, and Colburn was medevaced to a hospital. Colburn tested negative for troponin, a common indicator of an acute cardiac event, but doctors still didn’t rule out a heart attack.
After going through more tests, Colburn told his brother he had a transient ischemic attack (TIA), which is often referred to as a “mini-stroke.” A TIA “is a short period of symptoms similar to those of a stroke. It’s caused by a brief blockage of blood flow to the brain. A TIA usually lasts only a few minutes and doesn’t cause long-term damage,” according to Mayo Clinic. However, the site also notes that TIA could be a warning sign that an actual stroke is imminent.
Colburn has not given an update since the episode aired in October and does not post on social media often. His last Instagram post was to wish his followers a Merry Christmas in December. He was on Facebook a bit more recently to acknowledge Memorial Day, but did not share any personal updates.
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In April 2021, Colburn was hospitalized after contracting COVID-19. He spent more than eight days in the hospital after quarantining and then getting diagnosed with pneumonia.
Does Keith Colburn have a wife?
Yes, Colburn is married to Florence Colburn and they have two children, Caelan and Sienna.
Vivien Killilea/Getty Images
In 2012, Colburn noted that Florence was his “wife and business partner” for 25 years, which means they’ve now been together for nearly 40 years.
Caelan graduated from Southern Methodist University in 2018, per an Instagram post on Colburn’s feed. According to a news article, Sienna was 15 in 2013, which means she’s in her mid-20s now.
Deadliest Catch, Season 21 Premiere, Friday, August 1, 8/7c, Discovery Channel
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