Captain Phill Harris death, biography, wife, son, deadliest catch.

When it comes to fishing for King Crabs, Captain Phill Harris is as legendary as they came. A man of the sea, the captain spent all of his life in the sea. Right from the moment, he was born to his final breath. While he lived, Phill was one of the best fishermen in all of the Bering Sea. Few could match up to his wit and even fewer matched up to his skills. But what made Captain Phill Harris the stuff of legend was the speed with which he took decisions. The man knew what he was doing at all times and never backed down from a fight. In this article, we will take a closer look at the wiki-bio of Captain Phill Harris.

Early Life:

Phillip Charles Harris was born on the 19th of December 1956 in Bothell, Washington. Born and raised in a fishing household, Philip would often follow his father on several fishing trips. Philip started fishing when he was eight years of age and started fishing for crabs right after high school. Apart from his early interest in fishing, little is known about Philip’s early life or his family.

Earning his way:

When Philip began crab fishing fresh out of high school, he joined a crab boat as an unpaid deckhand. Over the years, Philip proved his worth and by 21 had already earned his captain badges. At 21, Philip was one of the youngest crab fishing boat captains on the Bering Sea.

Having finally earned his captain’s badges, Philip started as the captain of The Cornelia Marie. In the years that followed, the discovery channel came knocking with an idea of a reality TV series with Philip in the center.

Deadliest Catch:

Philip was introduced to the world of the Deadliest Catch in 2004. One the helm of the Cornelia, Philip’s first appearance came during the opilio crab portion of Season 1, as the partnership of the F/V Maverick. In the same season, the Cornelia was heavily involved in the rescue of Big Valley after it sank. After its debut appearance in season 1, Cornelia and Philip became a staple of the series. Phill also owned a coffee brand called Captain’s Reserve, which is in the hands of his sons now.

Turning Fortunes:

Things were going well for Captain Philips during his early years in the series. But in 2008, Harris was thrown from his bunk during a storm. He broke his ribs and spent hours coughing up blood. At the bequest of his sons and crew, Phil decided to go to the doctors. He was diagnosed with pulmonary embolism and had to miss the next fishing season. Even though he returned for the opilio crab fishing season in January 2009, Phill was still in the danger zone. A chain smoker, Phil was often chastised for his habit by his sons.

One with the sea:

During the opilio crab season in 2010, Phill suffered a massive stroke. It happened while he was offloading crab on January 29, 2010, at St. Paul Island, Alaska. He was quickly flown to Anchorage for surgery and was placed in an induced coma to reduce intracranial pressure and swelling. And while early signs were encouraging, Phil died from intracranial hemorrhage on February 9, 2010. And while Phil was cremated alongside his mother, his sons dispersed his ashes on the sea.

Personal Life:

Even though Harris was single at the time of his death, he had been married twice. His first marriage was to May Harris which lasted from 1982 to 1991. The pair had two sons, Joshua and Jacob. His second marriage was to Teressa Harris which began on January 22, 1992, and ended in divorce in 2006.

Wiki Facts