Fans are devastated at the news that Frank Fritz, the antiques expert who gained fame on the reality series American Pickers, has died at 60.
Fritz, who left the series in 2021, had been suffering from health problems and was hospitalized from a stroke two years ago.
The news was announced by Fritz’s friend and co-star Mike Wolfe, who said that Fritz passed away last night.
“I’ve know Frank for more [than] 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,” Wolfe wrote in a social media tribute. “The same off camera as he was on, Frank had a way of reaching the hearts of so many by just being himself.”
Fritz and Wolfe gained fame as the hosts of the reality TV series American Pickers, which premiered on the History Channel in 2010. The series showed the two “pickers” traveling across the USA, searching for valuable antiques and collectibles in unexpected places.
“We’re looking for amazing things buried in people’s garages and barns,” the show’s opening narration explains. “What most people see as junk, we see as dollar signs. We’ll buy anything we think we can make a buck on.”
“We make a living telling the history of America… one piece at a time.”
The series attracted millions of viewers, becoming one of History Channel’s most popular programs. In its debut year it was the #1 non-fiction series among total viewers and adults 25-54.
While the antiques were often interesting, there’s no doubt it was the chemistry and charisma of the two hosts that kept viewers coming back for more.
In 2021, it was announced that Fritz would be leaving American Pickers after a decade on the hit series. Fritz said the decision was not his own, and that he was pushed out by the network after a back surgery.
“I didn’t leave the show,” he told The Sun at the time. “I finished shooting and then I had a little back surgery and the pandemic came.”
He also suggested that his co-host’s ego was a factor, saying the show had “tilted towards him 1,000 percent.” “I haven’t talked to Mike in two years,” Fritz said. “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.”
In July 2022, Fritz was hospitalized from a stroke. In 2023, he had a tearful reunion with Mike Wolfe, and the two resolved their purported feud. However, Fritz declined an offer to rejoin American Pickers, deciding to focus on his health.
It’s clear that the two former co-hosts have remained friendly since then, and it seems Wolfe was by his side til the end.
“We’ve been on countless trips and shared so many miles and I feel blessed that I was there by his side when he took one last journey home,” Wolfe wrote on Instagram. “I love you buddy and will miss you so much I know [you’re] in a better place.”
American Pickers remains a staple of the History Channel lineup. Fritz has never officially been replaced as co-host, though series regulars like Danielle Colby, Mike Wolfe’s brother Robbie, and friend and antiques expert “Jersey Jon” Szalay will rotate accompanying Wolfe on his antiquing trips.
Colby also shared her own tribute to Fritz on social media. “Frank, I will miss your ability to make everyone laugh, your love for talking tattoos, your epic collections but what I will miss the most are those little glimpses of vulnerability from time to time,” she wrote.
“Frank, you loved your cat and your momma and we bonded on those things. You will be missed for all of these reasons and so many more.
Rest in Peace Road Dog.”
Rest in peace to the iconic reality TV star Frank Fritz 😢🙏 Please share this story in his memory.
Kathy Bates: A Brave Warrior Fighting Against Cancer
Narratives of affluent Hollywood stars grappling with health issues serve as a reminder that they are akin to us. The Academy Award-winning actress Kathy Bates talked candidly about her fight with cancer and the difficulties she endured in silence during a recent interview on the Dr. Phil program. Even though she was well-known, Bates ended up portraying a brave heroine in a true story, overcoming cancer twice.
She said in 2012 that she had been cancer-free for nine years and had triumphantly battled ovarian cancer. But a few weeks ago, she received the heartbreaking news that she had breast cancer. She likened the moment she was given this devastating diagnosis as being in a room that was scarier than something from an American Horror Story.
In 2003, Bates had already gone through a trying time due to ovarian cancer. She kept her fight a secret while enduring grueling surgery and nine months of chemotherapy. She told just a select few people about it, including PEOPLE magazine, and stated, “It really took a lot out of me, but I didn’t want anyone to know.”
She overcame ovarian cancer and maintained her cancer-free status for many years because to her tenacity and fortitude. But when her doctor told her that the cancer had come back, this time in her breast, her fight was far from done. Bates wasn’t totally shocked by this setback, noting that breast cancer runs in her family.
Bates decided to have a double mastectomy in order to halt the spread of her breast cancer. She turned her tragedy into inspiration for other women rather than letting it break her soul. Bates kept her vibrant personality and sense of humor despite hardship. She cracked a joke, saying, “I miss ‘Harry’s Law’ more than my breasts,” and thanked her followers for their continuous support through her lowest points.
Bates no longer has cancer, but because her lymph nodes were removed, she now suffers from lymphedema. About 30% of breast cancer survivors have this illness, which makes daily living uncomfortable due to pain and edema. But Bates won’t allow it to define who she is. She candidly recounts her experience in an effort to inspire other women to make routine checkups a priority and to reassure them that they are not fighting this battle alone.
In addition, Bates has agreed to represent the Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN) by using her platform to advocate for people with lymphedema and to increase public awareness of the condition.
Bates has gained resilience and a sense of purpose over her experience. “I’m grateful that my difficulties have given me a sense of purpose,” she muses. It’s intriguing how events unfold in that manner.
The conversation with Kathy Bates illuminates the difficulties she overcame and offers hope to anyone who might be going through comparable struggles. Her experience serves as a reminder that, given enough willpower, empathy, and encouragement, we can turn our own hardships into assets.
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