I’ve never watched the reality show “Swamp People,” but I’ve heard about it. This week, one of the guys on the show died.
Mitchell Guist, an alligator hunter, died Monday, just four days shy of turning 49. Someone reportedly saw him fall into the water after having what they described as a seizure, although the cause of death hasn’t been officially released.
“Swamp People” has been showing on the History channel since 2010 and is currently in its third season. It covers the activities of several Louisianans who hunt alligators for a living. Mitchell and his brother Glenn have been featured on the show since the second season.
No doubt the show will have to deal with the loss of Mitchell in some manner, but this is not the first reality television death. The first one I remember is that of Michael Tata. Tata was featured on the Discovery Channel series “American Casino.” He was vice president of hotel operations for the Green Valley Ranch near Las Vegas. As best I remember, the series showed him getting ready to leave for a vacation then before the next episode, his death was announced. The examiner eventually determined that his death was an accident caused by drinking alcohol and taking fentanyl.
One of the most high profile reality television deaths came when Captain Phil Harris died on the Discovery Channel series “Deadliest Catch.” Harris starred on the show for five seasons and appeared in the “After the Catch” specials. His sons Jake and Josh joined him on his boat, the Cornelia Marie. He became a beloved favorite of the fans for his gruff, yet loving nature.
(This image of the Cornelia Marie is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.)
Harris first suffered health problems during the 2008 season. After he was thrown around the boat during a storm, he thought he had broken a rib. But, he began to spit up blood and was excavated off the ship. At the hospital, he learned he had actually suffered a blood clot and had to stay off the ship for almost a year.
Harris returned to the helm in January 2009, but in January 2010, he suffered a massive stroke. Fans followed the series as it covered his health treatment. Although he seemed to be improving, Harris died on February 9, 2010 of a blood clot. The show later featured a special episode in tribute to Harris. His sons remain on the show today. On Facebook, Discovery Channel and fans still mark Harris’ death each year.