‘American Pickers’ star Frank Fritz dead after stroke

“American Pickers” prima Frank Fritz died implicit the weekend, 2 years aft helium suffered a stroke.

The 60-year-old world star’s decease was confirmed Monday by co-host Mike Wolfe, who besides created the History Channel series, which debuted successful 2010. Fritz’s origin of decease was not disclosed.

“It’s with a breached bosom that I stock with each of you that Frank passed distant past night,” Wolfe wrote connected Instagram. “I’ve known Frank for much past [sic] fractional my beingness and what you’ve seen connected TV has ever been what I person seen, a dreamer who was conscionable arsenic delicate arsenic helium was funny. The aforesaid disconnected camera arsenic helium was on, Frank had a mode of reaching the hearts of truthful galore by conscionable being himself. Who would person ever dreamed we would stock the cockpit of a achromatic cargo van successful beforehand of millions of radical funny successful our adventures. … I consciousness blessed that I was determination by his broadside erstwhile helium took 1 past travel home.”

Fritz near “American Pickers” successful July 2021 amid wellness issues, including Crohn’s illness and backmost surgery, arsenic good arsenic tensions with Wolfe. Fritz astatine the clip was wounded by Wolfe allegedly not checking successful connected him pursuing the surgery, TMZ reported.

Wolfe revealed successful July 2022 that Fritz was hospitalized pursuing a stroke, astatine which constituent helium called connected followers to “keep him successful your hearts and thoughts.”

Fritz’s decease comes connected the heels of news that helium had been placed nether a impermanent guardianship. A petition filed this August said that the changeable had “so impaired” his “decision-making capacity” regarding his safety, finances and well-being.

“We are saddened to stock that our person and beloved subordinate of The HISTORY Channel and ‘American Pickers’ family, Frank Fritz, has passed away,” the web and Cineflix Productions, which produces the series, said successful a connection shared with the Daily News. “Frank filmed ‘American Pickers’ for implicit a decade. We volition ever retrieve ‘the bearded charmer’ and his never-ending hunt for vintage motorcycles and bikes. Our thoughts are with Frank’s loved ones during this hard time. He volition beryllium profoundly missed.”

Bill Stankey, a typical for Fritz, said successful a connection to the Daily News: “Frank Fritz was an exceptional quality being. He loved life, helium cared astir people, helium ever had a benignant connection to accidental and helium knew much astir Americana and antiques than anyone I ever met. He was the anchor of ‘American Pickers.’ He volition beryllium missed by his friends, household and fan[s].”