Below Deck Mediterranean captured the heartbreaking moment when Joe Bradley found out that his mother was diagnosed with cancer.
During the Monday, June 15, episode of the Bravo show, Joe got a voice message from his mother that doctors had discovered she had tumors. He ran off the boat to call his sister and mother before breaking down into tears on screen.
Captain Sandy Yawn and Nathan Gallagher consoled Joe after the deckhand previously spoke to Us Weekly about his mother’s health scare.
“My mom got diagnosed and I went to look after [her], so I didn’t go back into work after season 10. She’s OK now. She had four tumors and it has been a battle,” he said earlier this month.
Joe expressed gratitude for the way his job helped him support his mom.
“But the beauty of this life is that this is my only financial income,” he added. “The yachting industry has not only saved my life, but it’s quite literally [saved] my mom’s life financially. It’s a blessing.”
The deckhand used that positive perspective when choosing to return to Below Deck Med — despite the possible backlash from viewers.
“You will see a level of growth [this season] because I felt it. You will see that I’m comfortable in my own skin on board. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a bit boisterous at times,” he continued. “That’s where Nathan [and I differ]. I can actually be social, but I have a good time as well and do my job well. You will see growth and you will see a level of change because I’m fed up with all these [love] triangles now.”
Elsewhere in Monday’s episode, Nathan and Joe got into an argument after their falling out. Joe told Us that his friendship with Nathan never fully recovered.
“I’m in this industry to win. I know what I’m capable of in terms of professional capabilities. At this point, I’m absolutely thriving,” he said. “Captain Sandy gave me the call — and regardless of who the bosun was going to be — I didn’t mind.”
Joe’s main focus was making Captain Sandy proud. “I can take it on the chin,” he continued. “I need to do a job at the end of the day — and I know I do it well. So I wasn’t scared. I was ready with everything. Every inch of effort and motivation, I was ready to join that boat.”
Below Deck Med airs on Bravo Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. New episodes stream the next day on Peacock.
