Below Deck star Captain Lee Rosbach penned a moving tribute for his youngest son Joshua Lee Rosbach, who was just 42 years old when he died on July 22, according to his Dignity Memorial obituary. Joshua had suffered from addiction and lost his life to an “accidental drug overdose,” People reported — HollywoodLife has reached out to Lee’s rep for comment. Two days after Joshua’s memorial was held, his father took to Instagram to open up about Joshua’s battle against addiction. “This past Saturday, my beloved wife Mary Anne and I laid our youngest son, Joshua Lee Rosbach to rest. After a twenty year struggle, he finally succumbed to the demons he fought so long and so hard,” Lee began in his tribute. He continued, “Addiction is an insidious disease that knows no social status or geographic boundaries. Whether you live in a 10,000 sq ft mansion or a double wide trailer, the path of death, destruction and devastation it leaves remains the same.”
Despite Joshua’s disease, Lee gushed that he and his wife “loved Josh unconditionally” and that “there was no one [Lee] ever knew who gave more of himself to those in his life.” Lee then urged his over 200,000 followers to “find a way to get help” if they or a peer is struggling with addiction. But Joshua is not defined by his addiction — here’s what you should know about the captain’s son.
1. Joshua’s father sails the yacht seen on Below Deck. Lee earned his “Captain” title, because he mans the M/Y Seanna yacht on which the iconic Bravo show is filmed. Lee put the restaurant business in his rear view mirror after earning his Captain’s license at age 35.
2. Like Lee, Joshua loved being out on the ocean. Joshua’s online obituary details his passion for the sea: “Josh followed his father’s love for the ocean, whether it was sail boating or First Mate aboard a Yacht.” He lived right by the water in his home base of Fort Lauderdale, FL.
3. Lee’s son had a soft spot for animals. In addition to sailing on the open sea, Joshua’s love for animals inspired his parents to ask for donations to Florida’s Humane Society of Broward County after his passing.
4. Joshua is also survived by four siblings. He was a brother to one sister, Sherri Ryan, and three brothers: Glen Ryan, Sean Rosbach and Eric Rosbach.
5. Below Deck star Kate Chastain sent her condolences to Joshua’s family. The Chief Stewardess on Lee’s yacht retweeted the captain’s tribute and wrote, “Beautifully written statement by Captain Lee at what is certainly a devastating time. I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with Captain Lee & his wife Mary Anne in their home and the love they have for their family has always been a privilege to witness.”