RIP Frank Fritz (American Pickers)

[luv]

Man, we could start an entire sub-forum with all of the celebrity and athlete deaths in just the past few weeks.

Always enjoyed him on the show.


"It’s with a broken heart that I share with all of you that Frank passed away last night.

I’ve know Frank for more then half my life and what you’ve seen on TV has always been what I have seen, a dreamer who was just as sensitive as he was funny. The same off camera as he was on, Frank had a way of reaching the hearts of so many by just being himself.

Who would have ever dreamed we would share the cockpit of a white cargo van in front of millions of people interested in our adventures.

Before the show we would take off together to places we never knew existed with no destination in mind and just the shared passion to discover something interesting and historic.

We’ve been on countless trips and shared so many miles and I feel blessed that I was there by his side when he took one last journey home. I love you buddy and will miss you so much I know your in a better place."

Mike Wolfe (Instagram)
American Picker

[Bearcat]

This is why I don't attend scrap concerts.

[Graystoke]

Dam.
Catch me up, did he have cancer or something?

[luv]

Originally Posted by Graystoke

Dam.
Catch me up, did he have cancer or something?

Not sure. Story I read said he had a stroke in 2022. I'm guessing heart disease or diabetes.

[arrowheadnation]

Damn, this was written 5 days ago...

Mike Wolfe ‘Suggested’ Frank Fritz Visit ‘American Pickers’ When ‘He Feels He’s Ready’
Mike Hammer
Thu, September 26, 2024 at 10:59 AM CDT·3 min read

Mike Wolfe and former American Pickers costar Frank Fritz have buried the hatchet after a they had a falling out in 2020 and are now enjoying quiet talks and get-togethers as Frank continues to recover from his debilitating stroke.

"Mike is sorry for the way he treated Frank," an insider exclusively tells In Touch of the 60-year-old TV host. "He didn't deserve the cold shoulder."

The drama between Mike and Frank, 58, began when Frank stopped appearing on the show beginning with the March 9, 2020, episode.

At first, there was no explanation for his absence. However, Frank later revealed that he took some time away from filming to have back surgery, which left him with 185 stitches and two rods in his spine, according to The U.S. Sun. Amid his recovery, he was also continuing to deal with his chronic Crohn's disease.

Frank would not return to the show for its 22nd season in 2021. Then, in July of that year, he told The Sun, "I haven't talked to Mike in two years. He knew my back was messed up but he didn't call me up and ask how I was doing. That's just how it is."

One year later, Frank was found unresponsive in his Iowa home after suffering a stroke. Despite their differences, Mike wished his former friend well, telling Instagram followers, "Now is the time to pray for my friend."

While it's been years of drama between Mike and Frank, the In Touch source says Mike is "trying to make up for it now by being a better friend."