"Deadliest Catch" Capt. Phil Harris, 53

Capt. Phil Harris, seen on Discovery Channel's "The Deadliest Catch" as the head of the fishing vessel Cornelia Marie, has died. He was 53.

Harris suffered a massive stroke on Jan. 29, according to his family.

Discovery sent out this statement:

Discovery mourns the loss of dear friend and colleague Captain Phil Harris. He was more than someone on our television screen. Phil was a devoted father and loyal friend to all who knew him. We will miss his straightforward honesty, wicked sense of humor and enormous heart. We share our tremendous sadness over this loss with the millions of viewers who followed Phil's every move. We send our thoughts and prayers to Phil's sons Josh and Jake and the Cornelia Marie crew.

And here's the statement sent on behalf of Jake and Josh Harris:

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our dad - Captain Phil Harris. Dad 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. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers.