Reality shows are often at the top of the list when it comes to being accused of being fake. However, shows like Deadliest Catch remind us that sometimes the stakes are high, with the show having exposed its cast members to real danger a couple of times before.

One of the scariest implications of being on the show we’ve seen so far was when Chris Scambler, who worked the Wizard for just a short period, realized his lack of boat experience could have almost killed him.

Below we reveal the gruesome events that impacted Chris Scambler’s stay on Deadliest Catch and what happened to him after that.

What happened to Chris Scambler on Deadliest Catch?

Back in May 2012, on a riveting episode of Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch, many viewers were shocked to see a Coast Guard helicopter arrive on the deck of the Wizard. 

The aircraft and medical crew were called to airlift then 28-year-old novice deckhand Chris Scambler after he suffered some mysterious, frightening symptoms and collapsed.

Before Chris’ co-workers called for assistance to have him taken to where he could receive professional medical attention, Captain Keith Colburn worked as hard as he could to keep him from dehydrating to the point where it was almost life-threatening.

Those who hadn’t seen the episode might be wondering: well, he’s a novice; why did Chris join the crew in the first place? 

Why didn’t the show explain how Chris got to that severe state? How was he allowed to be part of the crew?

Regarding his dehydration, it’s most likely that Chris was exposed to the sun for too long (as expected on a boat) and perhaps, after working hard, didn’t take the time to replace the fluids he had lost. 

As per Distractify, this resulted in Chris collapsing with intense pains in his neck and arm. The pains then escalated to excruciating convulsions, and at this point, the crew knew the severity of what he was facing could have possibly led him to succumb to the ordeal. 

Thankfully, Captain Keith Colburn took charge of the situation quickly. With the help of a medical crew on-air, they took him to a nearby hospital in Anchorage, where he was stabilized and re-hydrated.

Chris felt bad about the situation

Perhaps like many show viewers who might be naturally or influentially skeptics of reality shows in general, the last thing you may have expected was that sailing on the Wizard to catch some Alaskan King Crab was a dangerous adventure. 

Sailing on the Wizard to catch some Alaskan King Crab is a dangerous adventure by itself. Many men have lost their lives in the freezing waters and equipment accidents.

But who would have thought that the sun might be to blame for a near brush with death? 

We think Chris was not expecting to be the one to prove this, as while medical professionals were preparing to lift him off, he apologized to Captain Keith for creating an inconvenience for the team. 

Of course, like anyone responsible for looking after a group of people, Capt. Keith wasn’t worried about any inconvenience and wanted Chris to recover quickly from the scary ordeal.

“Don’t be sorry, man, you did a great job for me,” he said to Chris at the time. “All right?” he said. 

In the end, Chris realized that he needed to recover from dehydration as well as the shock of his experience. 

After he did, he never returned to the show, and some sources claim he died a few years later.