The captains in the Below Deck franchise are one of the most predictable aspects of the series. Captain Lee Rosbach runs the Caribbean with his stern leadership skills while Captain Glenn Shephard is king on Below Deck Sailing Yacht. As for Below Deck Mediterranean, Captain Sandy Yawn has been a mainstay for almost every season minus the first, when Captain Mark Howard ran the ship.
In sad news, Mark, who is from Michigan, recently passed away at age 65. The reports indicated that his wife Susan found him deceased in their home at the end of October after she was returning from a dog show. Mark was allegedly found lying against a shelf covered in boxes that had fallen from it. Police reports state there was blood on his face and on the ground.
Now, according to a report from E! News, Mark’s official cause of death has been revealed. The report from the medical examiner states that Mark died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease with chronic alcoholism listed as a contributing factor. It is considered to be a natural manner of death.
RELATED: Below Deck Mediterranean Original Captain Mark Howard Died
While Mark’s time on Bravo was short, his one-season-wonder helped kick off the various Below Deck spinoffs. He was a professional and calming presence on the show who is basically the antithesis of Captain Sandy. He encouraged his team to work hard and together, unlike Sandy who seems to pick favorites. The most memorable moment is when he was forced to fire Danny Zureikat to keep the peace on the ship, which was a move most viewers probably found easy to agree with. He helped the viewers totally understand the role of a captain on a mega yacht, and that impact will never be neglected.
Our thoughts are with Mark’s family and friends as they grapple with such sad news. Mark will forever be a part of the Below Deck family, and his memory will not be forgotten thanks to the first-ever episodes of Below Deck Med.
TELL US- DO YOU HAVE ANY WORDS OF COMFORT FOR MARK’S LOVED ONES AT THIS TIME?
[Photo Credit: Bravo]