AMERICAN Pickers star Frank Fritz would have returned to the History channel show if he hadn’t suffered a debilitating stroke that left him wheelchair-bound.
Frank died on September 30 at the age of 60, two years after suffering a stroke that left the right side of his body paralyzed.
Season 26 of American Pickers premieres on October 9 with Mike, 60, and Robbie Wolfe, Jon “Jersey Jon” Szalay, and Danielle Colby.
Frank appeared on the show from 2010 to 2020.
In an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun, Frank’s close friend Jerry Gendreau revealed he would’ve returned to the show had it not been for his health issues.
“Mike came up with the idea for the show. Mike was smart enough to know the show would be perfect with Frank,” Jerry said.
“My analogy of the two, Mike and Frank were like Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin.
“Jerry Lewis, Frank, was just as important or maybe even more important for the show. It’s very hard to be the Jerry Lewis all of the time.
“I think Frank would’ve went back, but he had his health issues. And he did have some serious health issues. From 25 or 30 on he suffered from Crohn’s.”
Crohn’s is a bowel disease that causes inflammation in the digestive tract.
Jerry explained how Frank became a fan-favorite on the show because of his “spontaneity.”
“He was truly the comedian who popped out with some of the weirdest and dumbest things that you just go, ‘Wow,’” Jerry said.
American Pickers’ Frank Fritz ‘lost the will to live’ after stroke as friend claims ‘really tough recovery’ led to deat
“He made a mark on history.”
Jerry also gave insight into Frank’s health struggles in recent months.
“He felt really, really bad,” he told The U.S. Sun.
“You would go to see him in the nursing home and one-half of his body was completely done. He would lift his arm up and it would just drop.
“That’s got to be tough to be totally bedridden.”
Jerry explained how Frank grew “frustrated” because he “couldn’t come out and say what he wanted to say,” though some days were “much, much better than others.”
“I’ve seen this when people get tired, they get tired. I think if you don’t have the will to live, you won’t,” Jerry said.
“I think Frank could’ve lived a lot longer if the will to live would’ve been there.”
LEAVING PICKERS
Frank left American Pickers in 2020 to undergo back surgery and was officially let go in 2021.
Frank revealed his feud with co-star Mike during an interview with The U.S. Sun in 2021.
Frank said, “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.
“The show is tilted towards him 1,000 percent. I can’t even bend that far down to show you how much.
“That’s fine. It’s like you’ve got Aerosmith, and there’s Steven Tyler, and he’s the frontman.
“I found my spot, I’m second and he’s number one on the show. That’s no problem with me, maybe he does have a problem.”
He also admitted, “I think Mike wants to get his brother Robbie in there to replace me. I don’t know why he’s behaving like that towards me.”
Robbie ultimately replaced Frank on the series.
Jerry told The U.S. Sun of Robbie, “I’ve known Robbie forever. Robbie is Robbie. He has always been boisterous, he has not changed. That’s Robbie. It’s the way he is.”
Shortly after Frank’s interview with The U.S. Sun, Mike announced his costar’s firing over Instagram.
“I have known Frank for as long as I can remember, he’s been like a brother to me. The journey that Frank, Dani and I started back in 2009, like all of life, has come with its highs and lows, blessings and challenges, but it has also been the most rewarding,” he wrote.
“The support that you all have given us has been a constant reminder of what the show’s message has always been; thru these places, people, and things we all have a common thread. We’re here to not only take care of the past, but also each other.
“I will miss Frank, just like all of you, and I pray for the very best and all good things for him on the next part of his journey.”
Then, Frank suffered a stroke in July 2022.
Mike and Frank ended their feud during his health issues and reunited over Memorial Day Weekend of 2023.
A source close to Frank told The U.S. Sun at the time, “Everything between them is fine. They’ve known each other for 40 years. They went to high school, they’ve done all this stuff together.
“They’re very good friends, great friends.”
In August 2023, a source told The U.S. Sun Frank was even considering a return to the series.
“I don’t know why he wouldn’t return to the show. He could go back to the show, maybe,” an insider claimed at the time.
“He watches the new episodes. He’ll laugh about it. Got to find something on there to razz them about. He’ll tell them about it.”
HEALTH STRUGGLE
The passing comes two years after Frank suffered a stroke in his Iowa home in July 2022.
Frank was unable to recover from the stroke fully, as he was rushed to the hospital four times in 2022 and 2023, for pneumonia and a seizure.
He was left wheelchair-bound and returned to a rehabilitation center after the hospital stints.
“He can walk, but he’s always going to need the wheelchair because he can’t walk long distances,” a source previously told The U.S. Sun in August 2023.
“Basically, you lose motion. He lost motion. A stroke can affect your left or your right side, it affected his right side.”
CONSERVATORSHIP
Frank’s close friends filed for a conservatorship and guardianship for him in August 2022.
“Because of his stroke, Mr. Fritz’s decision-making capacity is so impaired that he is unable to care for his own safety or to provide for necessities such as food, shelter, clothing, or medical care without which physical injury or illness may occur,” documents obtained by The U.S. Sun read.
“Mr. Fritz’s decision-making capacity is so impaired that he is unable to make, communicate, or carry out important decisions concerning his own financial affairs.
“Decisions must be made for Mr. Fritz’s care and placement while he continues to recover and receive treatment for his injuries.”
Frank Fritz’s Conservatorship
Frank Fritz was placed under a conservatorship in August 2022, just weeks after he suffered a stroke.
- Frank’s conservator is MidWestOne Bank and is in charge of his finances
- The bank agreed to invest Frank’s money and collections to generate income
- The guardian is his good friend Chris Davis
- Chris is responsible for helping Frank manage his Crohn’s disease treatment, go to physical therapy, grocery shop, cook and more day-to-day tasks
- The conservatorship also agreed to help replenish Frank’s Iowa antique store, Frank Fritz Finds
- A wheel-chair ramp and more have been installed in his Iowa home under the conservatorship
The appointment of a guardian and conservator was deemed “necessary” to “avoid immediate harm to him.”
In July 2024, conservator MidWestOne demanded Frank’s finances be transferred to them because he needed “skilled” and “long-term” nursing care at the time.
IN MEMORY OF FRANK
Ahead of the American Pickers premiere, Mike dedicated the season to his longtime friend.
He wrote, “It’s has taken me a long time to figure out what I was going to say or if I even wanted to post that we have new episodes starting tomorrow night.
“The timing of this and Frank’s passing is not great however we have been making shows without Frank for four years now and we have always wanted him to be back with this crew, but he couldn’t due to health issues.
“Every time the crew and I were in Iowa, we would go and sit by Frank’s side and let him know how much he was missed, how he could never be replaced and we will work incredibly hard on every episode to make him proud.
“As always, since Frank has left, I dedicate this show and all the others this season in his honor.”
