Frank Fritz, star of the reality show American Pickers, died on Monday. He was 60-years-old.
Deadline reports that a Facebook group was the first to confirm his passing. “This is a very tough announcement to make Frank passed away last night around 7:30 he was surrounded by myself, Mike Wolfe (who) made a high speed (dash) to get back here from Nashville and other friends,” the post by Annette Oberlander Willows read in part.
Fritz began co-hosting the History Channel program with Wolfe, his longtime friend, in 2010 but stepped away in 2021. The show has run for 25 seasons.
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In 2022, Fritz suffered a stroke. Wolfe broke the news on Instagram. “Frank I pray more than anything that you make it through this okay. I love you buddy,” he wrote at the time.
American Pickers was centered around the duo’s searches for rare items and antiques all across the United States. The items they acquired were then sold in their own stores.
Wolfe, who continued hosting the show after Fritz’s health issues, addressed his friend’s death on Instagram Tuesday.
“It’s with a broken heart that I share with all of you that Frank passed away last night,” Wolfe captioned a photo of the two. “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,” he continued.
He went on to reminisce about his early days of picking with Fritz and says he’s grateful to have been “by his side when he took one last journey home.”
Bill Stankey, Fritz’s manager, issued this statement to People: “Frank Fritz was an exceptional human being. He loved life, he cared about people, he always had a kind word to say and he knew more about Americana and antiques than anyone I ever met… He was the anchor of American Pickers. He will be missed by his friends, family and fans.”
An official cause of death has not been revealed.
