Two years after suffering a stroke, Frank Fritz from “American Pickers” died.
He was 60.
His former co-star and long-time friend, Mike Wolfe announced Fritz’s death on social media, writing “It’s with a broken heart that I share with all of you that Frank passed away last night.”
Wolfe didn’t say how Fritz died, TMZ reported.
“American Pickers” has run for 26 seasons and 384 episodes according to History.com.
Wolfe, Fritz and the rest of the “American Pickers” team, according to the cable channel, “are on a mission to recycle America, even if it means diving into countless piles of grimy junk or getting chased off a gun-wielding homeowner’s land. Hitting back roads from coast to coast, the Pickers earn a living by restoring forgotten relics to their former glory, transforming one person’s trash into another’s treasure. The show follows the team as they scour the country for hidden gems in junkyards, basements, garages and barns, meeting quirky characters and hearing their amazing stories. If you think the antique business is all about upscale boutiques and buttoned-up dealers, this show may change your mind – and teach you a thing or two about American history along the way.”
Friz left the show in 2021, appearing in 308 episodes he and Wolfe started the show in 2010, according to IMDB. TMZ reported Fritz left to deal with issues from Crohn’s disease. He also underwent back surgery. Fritz and Wolfe had a bit of a falling out when Friz claimed his costar didn’t check on him after the surgery, but started to reconcile last year.
The pair reunited in May 2023 thanks to a friend of Fritz’s who did not want to be identified by the Quad City Times.
The woman told the newspaper at the time “This was not a feud between Mike and Frank at all. They were not feuding. They needed separation to appreciate each other.” She attributed the falling out to “working 10-hour days, seven days a week with your best friend,” the newspaper reported.
Wolfe, according to TMZ, recently was trying to get Fritz back in front of the camera.
Wolfe operates the business Antique Archeology which sells many items dug up on “American Pickers.” There are two locations - the original one in LeClaire, Iowa, and a second in Nashville. He also operates Columbia Motor Alley in Columbia, Tennessee. Fritz had operated his own store called Frank Fritz Finds in Savanna, Illinois.
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