The Best Lesson Deadliest Catch’s Phil Harris Ever Taught His Son
Phil Harris was one of the most popular sea captains ever featured on Discovery’s hit reality show “Deadliest Catch.” Filmed in the Alaskan Islands, the show features seasoned crab fishermen trying their best to keep their businesses profitable while combatting the deadly challenges from the unrelenting sea. Sadly, Harris didn’t live to see the end of the series. In 2010, he suffered a serious stroke while filming, footage of which actually ended up in Season 6, Episode 11, “Blown Off Course.” Phil later died from complications of his stroke in February of that same year.
To honor him, Discovery hosted a public memorial in Seattle later that spring (via King5.com). At least 2,000 people were in attendance, including his sons, family friends, and many additional well-wishers on the water near the pier. It’s been a hard road for Harris’ sons since the loss of their father, but both Jake and Josh are doing their best to keep the fishing business going (and, by extension, the popular Discovery reality series). In particular, Josh had a lot to say about the difficulties surrounding fishing and his father’s passing in a recent interview — including the most important lesson his father ever taught him.
Josh Harris claims his dad taught him to never quit
Early on in the Fox News interview, when asked about the most important things he ever learned from his dad, Josh Harris gave a short but impassioned speech about perseverance. He explained, “You go until the wheels fall off. That’s how it goes. He’s just got a lot of heart and a lot of drive and there is no quit. A lot of fighting the dog, and we’ll fight until the death. That’s just the way it works.” So far, adhering to that philosophy has kept him going — but that quote and the interview both come at a time when his dedication to never quitting was seriously tested during the show’s 18th season.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Harris mentioned how his crew would temporarily fish for gold king crab instead of red king crab for a while despite the fact it’s more dangerous, labor-intensive, and expensive. But it wasn’t all focused on his job for the interview. He also took some time to reflect on his father’s legacy: “He was such a rad dude. The crew loved him so much. They worked for him, the same guys, for 15 years. It’s hard to keep a crew for 15 years. I just want to live with a good heart, be a good captain like he was … and just have fun, even when it’s crappy out there.”
It’ll be interesting to see whether Harris’ decision to adhere to his father’s never-quit philosophy will save or prove disastrous for the family fishing business.
