Kyra Hall
American Pickers star Frank Fritz’s cause of death has been confirmed.
The beloved TV star, who was most well-known for co-hosting the reality-historical show American Pickers, passed away at the age of 60 last month.
The show started in 2010 and ran for a successful 26 seasons, becoming the third-most-watched show on the History Channel.
Fritz starred alongside Mike Wolfe as they traveled around the U.S. to find various items to resell for clients and for their own personal collections.
The pair followed leads to find collectibles but would also ‘freestyle’ stop at random locations, hoping to find something of interest and value.
Fritz and Wolfe explored people’s homes, barns, sheds, and all kinds of bizarre locations where antiques and collectibles may be stored.
Despite the show’s popularity, Fritz departed from the series in March 2020 following reports of a feud between the co-stars.
In July 2021, Fritz told The Sun that he stopped filming because he had back surgery. He also shared that he was dealing with Crohn’s disease and alcohol abuse.
“I haven’t talked to Mike in two years,” the star revealed in the same interview.
“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 response to these comments, though, Wolfe told The Sun: “We all do care about Frank and we want him back on the show. I would love to talk with him again, we would absolutely love to, but he just can’t get it right.
“Frank is just going through a lot personally with addictions. It’s unfortunate that he’s made decisions that have him the way he is,” he added.
When announcing the tragic passing of his former co-star and friend, Wolfe wrote on Instagram: “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.
“I love you buddy and will miss you so much I know your in a better place.”
Since the announcement of Fritz’ death, fans have flooded to pay tribute to the star.
One writes: “I really enjoyed watching the show. The chemistry between the two best friends was so authentic. My condolences to his family and to Mike. He will be truly missed.”
Another adds: “This is truly sad. Loved American Pickers and I still watch it now. RIP Frank.”
“We’ve been binging American Pickers since we heard the news. We love Frank,” a third replies.
Fritz’s manager, Bill Stankey, released a statement to People, describing him as an ‘exceptional human being.’
According to TMZ, Fritz’s cause of death was ‘late sequela of cerebral infarction,’ meaning he had a stroke.
The publication states that his fatal stroke was a result of cerebral vascular disease, a condition that affects blood flow and blood vessels in the brain.
The reality star also suffered from aortic stenosis which is a chronic condition that makes it difficult for blood to flow from the heart to the rest of the body.
On top of this, Fritz reportedly had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a common lung disease that makes it difficult to breathe, as per the World Health Organisation.
According to his death certificate, both of these would have also played a factor in his passing.
