Captain Mark Howard of Bravo's "Below Deck Mediterranean" has died, TMZ reported on October
29th. A source close to the family told TMZ that Mark suddenly died at his home in Florida.
Mark was the star and captain on the first season of "Below Deck Mediterranean" in 2016. The "Below
Deck" spin-off followed the crew of a yacht as they traversed the Mediterranean, chronicling the
drama between them, as well as with their wealthy clients. According to Distractify, Mark's motto
was, quote, "the guest is always right," and this attitude trickled down to his entire crew. Mark
was also a hobby pilot, flying helicopters when he was not charting the sea, as the outlet noted.
For Season 2, Mark was replaced with Captain Sandy Yawn, who still stars on the show. A
fan on Reddit shared their theory as to why Mark was thrown overboard. The fan wrote,
"He was a good captain, that was the problem, no drama with him. It's reality TV."
Howard was beloved by his crew members, as evidenced by their expressed fondness for him.
Fellow "Below Deck Mediterranean" cast member Tiffany Jones tweeted,
"RIP Captain Mark Howard. You were a joy to be around."
Prior to Mark's death, Chief Stew Hannah Ferrier told Bravo's The Daily Dish
that she kept in touch with him. She said,
"Captain Mark and I, we send a message maybe once a year, just to touch base. I really like him."
She also revealed that Mark had always been extremely private. Ferrier continued,
"I don't really think I knew what he was up to when I was working with him,
let alone three years later. He was like the opposite of [Captain
Sandy]. He kind of drove the boat and stayed in his cabin, so it was lovely."
Mark doesn't appear to have been an avid social media user either. His Instagram
was last updated in 2016 and seemed to have only been used to promote the show.
Howard's death is under investigation, according to police reports. Us Weekly confirmed that Mark's
wife, Susan Howard, found the reality star dead in their home on October 27th.
According to the police reports, "blood droplets" were, quote, "on the floor" appearing "suspicious
in nature." Mark's body was found in the upstairs area of the couple's home underneath fallen boxes
and against a shelf. TMZ also noted that Mark's wife was out of town for a dog show
before returning to find her husband dead, once the star did not come downstairs to greet her.
The report continued, noting that blood was, quote, "coming from the area of the right
side of his face." Police suspect Mark's death occurred days prior to the discovery of his body.
The Bravo Network said in a statement:
"Our thoughts and sincerest sympathies are with the family and friends of the respected Captain
Mark Howard. As the captain of the first season of 'Below Deck Med,' he will always be remembered
for his many contributions and mentorship and will forever remain part of the Bravo family."
Other members of the Bravo family spoke out after news of Captain Mark's death hit the press,
with chief stewardess Hannah Ferrier posting an Instagram tribute. She wrote,
"Rest In Peace my friend. You were a great captain,
friend and colleague. Always the gentleman. You will be missed."
Captain Mark Howard will surely be missed by fans of the hit Bravo series "Below
Deck Mediterranean." The Bravo network wrapped Season 6 of the reality series
with a reunion episode hosted by Andy Cohen prior to Mark's death,
leaving fans shocked to hear of the tragic news just as their beloved show
celebrates a sixth finale. One fan in the Instagram comments of "Below Deck,”
"RIP Captain Mark Howard, Season 1 of below deck med was the first time watching below deck
and now I can't stop watching, thank you captain."
Another shared a similar sentiment, writing,
"Rest In Peace Captain Mark...one of the cast members that made me fall in love with the show."
Fans continued to pour in their love via Twitter and Instagram,
with one noting they are, quote, "so very sorry for the loss of Captain Mark." They added,
"Such a sad loss for Below Deck and all of us fans.
May God continue to bless his family in this difficult time."
But "Below Deck" fans will likely always remember Captain Mark's legacy
thanks to some of his famous advice on-set:
"Be honest, work hard, and pay attention to senior crew members."
Our hearts go out to his family. Rest in peace.