The former deck boss of one of the boats featured on “Deadliest Catch” has been battling the deadly flesh eating bacteria necrotizing fasciitis, according to a report from King5.com news.

Michael “Bear” Rogers, who worked on “Deadliest Catch” boat the “Wizard” does not know where he contracted the deadly bacteria, but it has already cost him his leg. He has been battling complications from the strain since 2002.

“They said, ‘Mrs. Rogers, we may have to take both legs up to his hip,” his wife Cheri told NWCN.

“I'm glad to be alive,” Roger said.

In 2002, the first sign of a problem was leg pain. Three days later, he was in the hospital with kidney failure.

“I told the nurse I wanted to save my leg and that I would do anything they needed me to do, just don't cut it off,” Rogers said. But unbeknownst to him, the doctors had already been forced to cut it off when he was unconscious.

“If he had waited until after the Thanksgiving holiday, he might not have made it,” his daughter Amanda said.

For ten years, Rogers, now 59, has been forced to frequently visit doctors' offices to guard against infections.

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