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Fans of the show American Pickers will be sad to learn of the recent death of co-star Frank Fritz. Fritz, along with picking partner Mike Wolfe, starred on the show for over a decade, driving hundreds of miles across the country, searching barns and attics for collectible finds.
Fritz loved to collect vintage motorcycles and bikes, scouring any picking place for rusty bike parts, engines, and gear. Between 2010 and 2021, he co-hosted more than 300 show episodes. In 2022, he suffered a stroke that left him struggling to regain his health. While episodes of the show were still filming as he worked toward recovery, the duo of vintage pickers had an energy to their partnership, and viewers missed Fritz’s contributions to the picking trips.
On the official Instagram page for the show, maintained by the History Channel, a statement read, “We are saddened to share that our friend and beloved member of The HISTORY Channel and American Pickers family, Frank Fritz, has passed away on September 30, 2024. Frank filmed American Pickers for over a decade. We will always remember ‘the bearded charmer’ and his never-ending search for vintage motorcycles and bikes. Our thoughts are with Frank’s loved ones during this difficult time. He will be deeply missed.”
In his own Instagram post, Mike Wolfe wrote about his partner, saying, “It’s with a broken heart that I share with all of you that Frank passed away last night. 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. The same off-camera as he was on, Frank had a way of reaching the hearts of so many by just being himself.”
Wolfe, along with family and loved ones, was there when Fritz passed. While the duo had their struggles when they worked together on the show, they had mended their friendship, and both were looking forward to a better future. Fritz was 60 years old.
Brenda Kelley Kim lives in the Boston area. She is the author of Sink or Swim: Tales From the Deep End of Everywhere and writes a weekly syndicated column for The Marblehead Weekly News/Essex Media Group. When not writing or walking her snorty pug, Penny, she enjoys yard sales, flea markets, and badminton.
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