What Happened To Frank On American Pickers? His Tragic Death Explained

American Pickers lost a major star, not just with Frank Fritz’s departure, but with his recent tragic hunting. Premiering in 2010 and still going strong 26 seasons in, American Pickers follows a group of collectors who travel across the United States collecting rare antiques to add to their personal collections, for their clients and even for resale. Though some question whether American Pickers is one of the faker shows on the History Channel, there’s no denying its popularity and hype. The show plays more like a treasure hunt than an antique hunt, which adds to its appeal and suspense.

Frank was one of the main stars on the show for over 10 years, along with his co-star Mike Wolfe and Wolfe’s business partner, associate Danielle Colby. Many episodes focused on Fritz’s and Wolfe’s respective businesses and their desire to find one-of-a-kind pieces of Americana. Sadly, Frank and Mike were often at each other’s throats, leading to a very public feud. However, it looks like the former American Pickers duo were able to mend fences before it was too late.

American Pickers’ Frank Fritz Died Of A Stroke At The Age Of 60

Frank Fritz died unexpectedly on September 30th, 2024. A death certificate obtained by TMZ confirms Fritz died from a stroke. The reality star also suffered from a chronic condition called aortic stenosis that hinders the body’s blood flow. Reports show that Fritz’s aortic stenosis and his cerebral vascular disease both contributed to his death. Fritz’s American Pickers co-star Mike Wolfe announced his death via Instagram on October 1st and wrote a touching caption honoring his co-star. Fritz’s other co-stars like Danielle Colby and Fritz’s replacement on the show, Robert Wolfe also expressed their condolences via social media (via Parade).

However, the stroke that killed Fritz wasn’t his first, as Frank suffered another stroke back in 2022 after he officially left American Pickers. Sadly, Fritz’s final days were reportedly very painful, emotionally. According to Collider, Frank was never able to get over leaving American Pickers in 2021. He was also distraught after the end of his engagement with Diann Bankson.

He was also reported to be in a great deal of physical pain before his death. His longtime manager Bill Stansey confirmed that Frank had Crohn’s disease, which is a chronic digestive issue. Frank also allegedly suffered from alcohol addiction for many years. All of these issues only added to Fritz’s pain leading up to his eventual death.