Captain Phil Harris was 53.

Some sad news out of Alaska: Phil Harris, one of the captains featured on Discovery’s gripping crab-fishing docu-series “Deadliest Catch,” has died. He was 53.

Harris, the gravel-voiced, no-nonsense captain of the Cornelia Maria, suffered a stroke Jan. 29 while unloading his ship in St. Paul, Alaska. He was flown to a hospital in Anchorage, and had been induced into a coma for a time last week. Upon regaining consciousness last week, he was reportedly in good spirits and gave his doctors a typical salty message: “Don’t f*ck up.”

Discovery released a statement Tuesday from Harris’ sons, sons, Jake and Josh, who are deckhands on the ship, that said their father has “always been a fighter and continued to be until the end. For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down. We will remember and celebrate that strength.”

Discovery spokeswoman Elizabeth Hillman said “We will miss his straightforward honesty, wicked sense of humor and enormous heart.”

Harris had been hospitalized and nearly died in 2008 after suffering a blood clot while at sea.

Discovery has a selection of favorite Phil Harris moments here, and you can leave condolence messages for his family here.