‘American Pickers’ Star Frank Fritz Dead at 60

Former American Pickers star Frank Fritz passed away on Monday, Sept. 30, according to his co-host Mike Wolfe. Wolfe broke the news on social media on Tuesday morning, sharing a a throwback photo of himself with Fritz on the job. Fritz was 60 years old.

“It’s with a broken heart that I share with all of you that Frank passed away last night,” Wolfe wrote on Instagram. Fritz left American Pickers in July of 2021 after 12 years on the show, and he suffered a serious stroke in July of 2022. According to a report by Wide Open Country, his health has been poor ever since. However, his friendship with Wolfe has never faltered, and Wolfe honored him in the remainder of his post.

“I’ve known 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 continued. “The same off-camera as he was on, Frank had a way of reaching the hearts of so many by just being himself. Who would have ever dreamed we would share the cockpit of a white cargo van in front of millions of people interested in our adventures. Before the show we would take off together to places we never knew existed with no destination in mind and just the shared passion to discover something interesting and historic.”

“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. I love you buddy and will miss you so much I know you’re in a better place,” Wolfe concluded.

American Pickers has been a staple of the unscripted TV genre since it premiered on History in 2010, and Fritz was there from the beginning. The show features Wolfe and Fritz traveling throughout the U.S. in search of antiques – particularly those that embody Americana throughout the decades. They would often approach strangers out of the blue and ask for tours of old houses or barns, looking for treasures that the owners might not even know about. The show also depicts the restoration of some antiques and their resale at Wolfe’s business, Antique Archaeology.

The shop and home office are run by Wolfe’s associate Danielle Colby, who also posted a tribute to Fritz on Tuesday. She wrote: “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. 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.”