‘Deadliest Catch’: Inside Sig Hansen’s Brief, Volatile First Marriage to Lisa Eckstrom
Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch Season 19 stars Captain Sig Hansen and his daughter, Mandy Hansen, aboard the F/V Northwestern. Sig has been a part of the series for over a decade, but fans are unlikely to see him open up about certain details from his past. Here’s what to know about Sig’s first marriage to Lisa Eckstrom.
Captain Sig Hansen was briefly married to Lisa Eckstrom
Deadliest Catch Season 19 fans occasionally see Sig Hansen’s wife, June Hansen, on the small screen. But Sig had a marriage before June. Sig was briefly married to his first wife, Lisa Eckstrom, and they had a child together.
It’s unclear how long Sig and Lisa were married. While they had a daughter, Melissa Eckstrom, together, they separated before she was born. The courts awarded Sig visitation rights after the divorce trial in 1992, but he ultimately chose to relinquish his rights. According to Sig, he made this choice because of his toxic relationship with Lisa.
“It was probably the hardest thing I’ve done in my life,” Sig said through tears, according to The Seattle Times.
It’s unclear how their relationship devolved after a short period of time, but their daughter later came forward with abuse allegations against Sig. According to Melissa, Sig sexually abused her when she was a child. She claims to have had memories of the alleged abuse from the age of 2. Sig publicly denounced the accusations and stated he believed Lisa brainwashed Melissa into believing lies.
When Melissa came forward with a lawsuit against Sig, he stated he believed Lisa hoped to extort him. She and Lisa allegedly threatened to “go to the media” with these allegations against Sig if Sig didn’t pay Melissa $30,000. Melissa denied the money claims.
The ‘Deadliest Catch’ star later married June Hansen
While Deadliest Catch Season 19 star Sig Hansen didn’t have a successful first marriage, his marriage to June Hansen appears healthy and happy. Sig and June have been together for 24 years, and they adopted two daughters together — Mandy and Nina. Mandy frequently appears in the current season of the show, as she hopes to become a captain like her father.
“I always wanted to be on the water,” Mandy told People in 2022. “I tried looking into different areas in the maritime industry, you know, the big boats, and container ships, that was what I was trying to go for but I just realized, that’s just an office job on the water.”
If Sig had his way, Mandy wouldn’t follow in his footsteps. “I did not want her on the boat,” Sig noted. “I’ve lost so many friends … you can’t even comprehend. You’re out there risking your life.”
Sig and Mandy’s relationship receives more air time than Sig and June’s. But the husband and wife have a special bond, as they battled hardship. Sig expressed his devastation on camera in 2019 when June told him she had a form of neck cancer. Sig and Mandy received the news of June’s cancer while fishing in the Bering Sea.
“It sounds like my wife has a form of cancer,” Sig told the cameras in season 15. “We do know that this area on her neck is cancer, we just don’t know if there’s more.”
While Sig caught wind that the fishing would be better if he continued to travel north, he didn’t want to stray far from June. “We’re not going anywhere until I know how my wife is,” he said. “She’s always been there for me, and I will be there for her.”
Thankfully, the doctors caught June’s illness early, giving her a hopeful prognosis.
How to get help: If you or someone you know has been sexually abused, text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 for free and confidential support.
Deadliest Catch Season 19 airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery Channel.
For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s YouTube channel.
