Mike McCollum, Jesse’s late father, is the Deadliest Catch star who sadly died. He was also Johnathan Hillstrand’s best friend from high school who plucked up the courage to spread Mike’s ashes in a “hard” tribute.
The Discovery show has seen several deaths sadly take place during Deadliest Catch‘s time on air. Mike McCollum is the most recent star that its cast members paid tribute to during the May 30 episode.
Johnathan Hillstrand, Mike’s best friend, is a captain who decided that both he and his friend’s son, Jesse, needed to spread his ashes. Jesse had the desire to honor his dad by scattering his remains aboard the Time Bandit.
Mike McCollum on Deadliest Catch
Mike McCollum was an engineer on the Time Bandit. He was Johnathan Hillstrand’s longtime friend and a father to a son, Jesse McCollum, who is a cast member on Deadliest Catch who followed in his footsteps.
Jesse had been experiencing restless sleep in his bunk next to the ashes of his late father. “We just need to take care of his dad and then he might be able to sleep,” the king crab fisherman hopes.
Johnathan shares a prayer with the crew: “Lord, please take Mike in your arms. Take his soul, let his soul be in heaven. Let him find peace, let Jesse find peace and love and mercy. That’s all we ask in your name. Amen.”
As deckhand Jesse begins to spread the ashes, a moment he found emotional, another deckhand rings a bell in tribute. “Your spirit’s free Mike!” says Johnathan. “Love you, Mike, I miss you, Mike.”
Jesse McCollum tears up at tribute
Johnathan revealed: “Jesse, I love your dad. He’s my best friend, this is hard to do. I’m sorry this took me this long, I haven’t had the courage to do it. This is going to be hard to do.”
He said: “I want to say a word about Mike.” The camera panned to Jesse, who had tears in his eyes. “Great dad, he raised a great kid, and we just want to honor him today and spread his ashes in St. George Canyon,” Johnathan added.
Johnathan Hillstrand was Mike’s best mate
Johnathan put off spreading Mike’s ashes for a while because he was too scared to face doing it. They had been best friends since meeting in high school, and the captain admitted it was “hard” to say goodbye to Mike.
I’ve just been putting it off because it’s been so emotional for me.” But finally, the moment comes. “Let’s go bury Mike,” he says to Jesse through tears. “He’s restless, let him go.”
One fan wrote on Facebook: “WE ARE SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS ALWAYS KNOW HE/THEY ARE WATCHING OVER US NO MATTER WHAT REST IN PARADISE SWEETHEART AS YOU WATCH EVERYONE.”
