That’s Only the Beginning
The Hillstrands experienced legal challenges even after they resolved their issues with Discovery. In 2013, one of their crew members was hurt when they were captaining the vessel. In celebration of a Seattle Seahawks victory, the Hillstrand brothers reportedly lit fireworks from their yacht. That sounds like a recipe for disaster, don’t you think?
They built their own pyrotechnics using mortar, which was much riskier. David “Beaver” Zielinski, one of their former crew members, was given orders to set off the fireworks. His arm and hand bones were shattered, and he sued in 2015. Zielinski received $1.35 million in damages after the hearing.