What Happened To Jake Anderson's Sister On Deadliest Catch?

It's safe to say that for plenty of these brave fishermen on "Deadliest Catch," the one thing that may be as frightening as working on the Bering Sea is to be trapped there while a family emergency is occurring back home. For Jake Anderson, while filming Season 5, Episode 14 ("Bitter Tears"), that occurred when he was informed that his sister had been taken to the hospital and then tragically passed away shortly after.

Chelsea Dawn Anderson, according to her obituary, was born in 1971 and passed away on February 13, 2009, due to complications of pneumonia. She was just 37 years old. During one of the most emotionally charged scenes in the show's history, Anderson heard the tragic news while at sea. In a Facebook post marking the 11th anniversary of his sister's death, Anderson gave some details about her passing, writing, "Before my sister died at the doctor's office she was arguing with my mom about how she didn't need to go she was fine. She died 20 minutes later while my mom was in the waiting room."

As devastating as it was for Anderson to learn of his sister's death while he was at sea, the rest of the crew of the Northwestern showed a noble display of dedication to their fellow deckhand. Making Anderson's emotional condition a priority, steps were taken to put him on another vessel, allowing him to get back to his family. Years later, Anderson continues to express his admiration for his sister. She had been diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at just 18 months old. In his Facebook post, Anderson remembers, "Growing up she was looked at funny, and constantly taken advantage of. She didn't care she remained happy."