Commercial crabbing in the Bering Sea is a young man's game, but nobody told Keith Colburn. He’s been the backbone of the F/V Wizard for decades. You’ve seen him—cranky, brilliant, and arguably the most intense human being to ever step foot on a Discovery Channel set. But recently, things changed. The conversation around the boat shifted from king crab quotas to something much more fragile.
Health.
It’s the one thing you can’t fix with a welder or a bigger engine. For Captain Keith, the 2024 and 2025 seasons of Deadliest Catch weren't just about the "gold rush" on the water. They were a terrifying wake-up call that played out in front of millions of people.
What Really Happened with Captain Keith Colburn’s Health?
Honestly, watching the footage from Season 20 was brutal. One minute, Keith is in a heated argument with his brother, Monte "Mouse" Colburn. The next, he’s collapsing in the wheelhouse. This wasn't a scripted TV moment. His left side went numb. He couldn't feel his arm. He looked at the camera with a level of fear we’ve never seen from the guy who usually screams at the ocean.
People thought it was a heart attack. Some feared a massive stroke.
The reality was a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), basically a "mini-stroke." It happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked for a short time. It doesn't usually cause permanent damage like a full-blown stroke, but it’s a massive warning shot across the bow. It says: Change something now, or you’re done. Medical experts often call TIAs "warning strokes." According to the Mayo Clinic, about 1 in 3 people who have a TIA eventually have a full stroke, often within a year. For a guy living in the high-stress, low-sleep world of the Wizard, those odds are scary.
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The Wizard’s Legacy of Grit vs. Biology
The F/V Wizard isn't just a boat; it's a 150-foot steel beast that Keith and his wife Florence bought back in 2005. It’s legendary for its size and its ability to cut through waves that would swamp smaller vessels. But even the toughest boat needs a captain who can actually stand up.
Keith’s health history is a laundry list of "how is he still doing this?"
- Osteomyelitis: A few years back, he battled a nasty bacterial infection in his spine.
- Umbilical Hernia: That was a fun one—his intestines were literally pushing through his abdominal wall.
- COVID-19 and Pneumonia: In 2021, he spent over a week in the hospital just trying to breathe.
- The Fall: More recently, in Season 21, he suffered a nasty fall near the fridge that left his back purple and bruised.
Basically, Keith Colburn has been through the wringer. He’s a first-generation fisherman who started as a greenhorn with fifty bucks in his pocket. He doesn't know how to quit. But a TIA changes the math. You can't out-tough a blood clot.
Why Stress is the Real Killer on the Bering Sea
In the Season 21 premiere, Keith admitted he had to "minimize stress." Think about that for a second. His job involves navigating 40-foot waves, managing a crew of exhausted deckhands, and fighting over fuel spots with Captain Mandy Hansen.
He told the cameras he had to learn to bring his energy "from here to down here," gesturing from his head to his chest. It's a tall order for a guy known for his "blow-ups."
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His brother Monte had to step up. Monte has always been the second-in-command, the "Mouse" to Keith's "Wizard." But during the medevac to Saint Paul Harbor, the dynamic shifted. Monte wasn't just the relief captain; he was the guy trying to save his brother’s life while the boat took on heavy swells.
Actionable Insights for High-Stress Lifestyles
We aren't all crabbing in Alaska, but the lessons from Keith’s health scare apply to anyone grinding 80 hours a week in a high-pressure environment. If you’re a "Wizard" in your own field, here is what the Keith Colburn saga teaches us:
1. Know the "FAST" signs
If Keith hadn't recognized the numbness in his arm immediately, the outcome could have been permanent brain damage.
- Face drooping.
- Arm weakness.
- Speech difficulty.
- Time to call emergency services.
2. The "Golden Hour" is Real
Medical professionals on Reddit and in fishing forums have pointed out that Keith was lucky. In the middle of the Bering Sea, you are hours, sometimes days, away from a hospital. If you work in a remote or high-stress environment, you need a medical response plan that doesn't rely on "toughing it out."
3. Delegate or Die
Keith’s biggest struggle has always been control. He's a self-professed control freak. The TIA forced him to let Monte take the wheel. In any high-stakes career, building a team you trust to take over in a crisis isn't just good management—it's a health requirement.
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4. Seafood and Nutrition
Interestingly, Keith is an ambassador for the Seafood Nutrition Partnership. He knows the benefits of Omega-3s for heart and brain health. It’s a bit of an irony: the guy catching the healthiest food on the planet was nearly taken down by the stress of the catch. Balance your diet, but don't ignore the cortisol.
The Future of the F/V Wizard
As of early 2026, Keith is still in the game, but the leash is shorter. The doctors gave him a blunt choice: stay near land or risk a permanent exit. He’s chosen to keep fishing, but with a different perspective.
He’s still the "Wizard," but he’s a Wizard who has to watch his blood pressure.
Whether you love him or think he’s a "drama queen," you can't deny the guy’s impact on the industry. He’s an advocate for sustainable fishing and a mentor to countless greenhorns. But his latest chapter is his most important: proving that even the toughest captains have to listen to their bodies eventually.
Monitor your own stress levels and recognize that no quota is worth a stroke. Take a page out of the new Keith Colburn playbook: find a way to lower the temperature before the engine blows.