TV - Movies
The Tragic
Death Of
Duffy From
Wicked Tuna
By HEATHER DEMPSEY
With Season 10 of "Wicked Tuna" underway, fans will undoubtedly be reminded of the tragic loss of one of its former stars — Nicholas Fudge. Better known as 'Duffy', the TV fisherman died in 2018, just days short of his 29th birthday from decompression sickness.
Also known as 'the bends', decompression sickness is a perilously common affliction in scuba and deep-sea divers. As outlined by Harvard Health, the condition is "caused by a rapid decrease in the pressure that surrounds you"; this happens when the diver resurfaces too quickly and causes nitrogen bubbles to form in the blood, leading to symptoms from dizziness and joint pain, and in dire cases like Duffy's, death.
His infectious love for the great outdoors and profound respect for the environment made him a fan favorite among viewers of the National Geographic series. His family stated that Duffy is remembered for "his smile, his fearlessness, his adventurous spirit, his mischievous sense of humor, and giving big hugs.”