'DEADLIEST CATCH' STAR PHIL HARRIS DIES

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CAPTAIN PHIL HARRIS WAS
FAVORITE AMONG VIEWERS
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Captain Phil Harris

Captain Phil Harris, whose fishing exploits in the wild waters off the Alaskan coast were captured on the hit television series "Deadliest Catch," has died, family members have announced. He was 53 years old. Harris suffered a stroke last month while in port at St. Paul Island in Alaska, while off-loading the fishing vessel he ran, the Cornelia Marie. He was taken to a Anchorage hospital for treatment, and his sons and the Discovery Channel, which aired the show, said yesterday Americas favorite skipper had died."Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end," his sons Josh and Jake Harris, who were also deckhands on the famed boat, said in a statement. "For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down. We will remember and celebrate that strength." The show airs in 170 countries. The ship fished for king and Opilio crab in dangerous currents and icy conditions in the Bering Sea between Alaska and Russia. Alaska is home to one of the world's largest food fisheries."He was more than someone on our television screen. Phil was a devoted father and loyal friend to all who knew him. We will miss his straightforward honesty, wicked sense of humor and enormous heart," the Discovery Channel said in a statement."We share our tremendous sadness over this loss with the millions of viewers who followed Phil's every move."While being treated Harris was improving enough to display some of his trademark bluntness, according to a February 3rd posting by his sons on the Discovery Channel's website, telling doctors and nurses not to make mistakes in his attempted recovery. Harris was in the fishing industry for 33 years and for the past 19 years was captain of the Cornelia crew.