Guy Fieri's Heartfelt Tribute To His Late Friend
One of the last people you would expect to see on "Shark Week" would probably be the Mayor of Flavortown, Guy Fieri. In 2018, the spiky-haired star shocked the world when he dove with sharks in the Bahamas with his son Hunter for a "Shark Week" special aptly named "Guy Fieri's Feeding Frenzy" (via Eater). Fieri is usually the one having a seafood feast, so this was a bit of a role switch when the celebrity chef watched sharks have a feeding frenzy feet away from him. Since this is not a typical day at the office for the "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" host, he had plenty of professional help to make sure he and his son were safe in the water. They had several dive instructors with them as well as paramedic and dive safety consultant Mike Hudson at the surface (via EMS World).
"Brand new certified divers over deep blue water, multiple animals, lots of things going on on the deck, so everything spells risk, risk, risk," Hudson said on the show (per People). According to Eater, despite one hiccup with Fieri's air supply, the father-son team had a great experience and were grateful to the crew for their help. So when the Food Network star learned that crew member Mike Hudson died, he posted a tribute to him on Instagram.
Guy Fieri considered Mike Hudson a member of 'the DDD family'
Guy Fieri posted a heartfelt tribute to the late Mike Hudson on Instagram last night. "Lost a brother, a friend, a big part of the DDD family," the "Guy's Grocery Games" star wrote in the caption "Mike always took care of everyone first no matter who they were. We say goodbye to one of the GREATEST today. RIP Mike Hudson." According to SNBC13.com, Hudson dedicated his life to the safety of others as a paramedic and commander of a "nationally certified aquatic rescue response team" in addition to his role as a shark safety consultant for Discovery.
Friends of Hudson posted their sympathies on social media, and fans of Guy Fieri were sorry for his loss as well. "I'm so sorry Guy, thinking if [sp] you and sending love," fellow chef Traci Des Jardins commented on Instagram. "May he live forever in you [sp] heart and in your memories. Empathy dude. Big time," replied one fan on Twitter.