Mike deGruy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike deGruy
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DeGruy in 2010
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| Born |
Michael V. deGruy
December 29, 1951 |
| Died | February 4, 2012 (aged 60) Jaspers Brush, New South Wales, Australia
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| Known for | Underwater cinematography |
Michael V. deGruy (born December 29, 1951 – died February 4, 2012) was an American filmmaker. He was an expert in filming underwater. Mike made many amazing documentaries about the ocean and its creatures. He loved the ocean deeply and shared his passion with the world.
Mike worked for famous channels like the BBC, National Geographic, and the Discovery Channel. His company, Film Crew Inc., focused on filming incredible scenes beneath the waves.
Mike deGruy: Underwater Explorer
Mike deGruy was known for his incredible underwater films. He helped create popular shows like Life in the Freezer, Trials of Life, The Blue Planet, and Pacific Abyss. He was also a great storyteller. He gave a passionate TED talk about why he loved the ocean so much.
Mike was part of many deep-sea expeditions. He even dove near hot vents deep in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He was also part of the team that first filmed the mysterious vampire squid and the ancient nautilus.
A Life of Adventure
Mike deGruy had many exciting experiences. In 1978, he was bitten on his arm by a grey reef shark. He recovered from this incident and continued his work.
In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill happened. This event made Mike an even stronger voice for protecting the environment. He became very active in speaking out about ocean conservation.
He was also part of the Deepsea Challenge project. This was when filmmaker James Cameron traveled to the very bottom of the Mariana Trench.
A Sad Loss
On February 4, 2012, Mike deGruy died in a helicopter crash. The accident happened in Jaspers Brush, Australia. Another filmmaker, Andrew Wight, also died in the crash.
After his death, marine biologist Edith Widder dedicated her 2013 TED talk to Mike's memory. In her talk, she shared details about the first time the giant squid was filmed.
In 2016, work began on a documentary film about Mike's life and work. It was called Diving Deep: The Life and Times of Mike deGruy. The film was released in 2020.
