Days after Frank Fritz suddenly passed away at the age of 58, the American Pickers star’s cause of death was revealed.
Frank Fritz’s longtime manager, Bill Stankey, confirmed to Fox News Digital the cause of death was due to complications from a stroke while he was in hospice care. He had also been suffering from Crohn’s disease. He died on Monday, Sept. 30.
The TV star’s passing was confirmed by his family, who took to Facebook to announce the news. “This is a very tough announcement to make,” the post reads. “Frank passed away last night around 7:30.”
His family siad he passed surrounded by his loved ones, including his American Pickers co-star, Mike Wolfe, who rushed from Nashville to be with him in his final moments.
“Please understand this is a very rough time for us,” the family continued. “Including Mike so be kind as we are trying to figure out how to cope with this. Thank you all for your love and support through the years.”
Wolfe also penned a tear-jerking post on Instagram about his longtime friend. “I’ve know Frank for more then 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 also wrote, “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 your in a better place.”
Fritz appeared in more than 300 episodes of American Pickers. He left the show in 2021.
Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz Reconciled Following Years-Long Fallout
Following his departure from American Pickers, Frank Fritz and Mike Wolfe seemingly had a fallout. The longtime friends didn’t appear to be on speaking terms until last year.
“Mike has been wanting to see Frank for quite some time,” an insider told the Quad-City Times. “Frank just now felt up to seeing him. It was Frank’s request to see Mike.”
The source then shared, “They were both in tears. Both were crying. Mike brought up how nervous they both were to be going on David Letterman, which was one of their first big appearances.… They talked about old times, how things got started and the impact they had on the world. There were tears flowing on both sides.”
The insider also said Wolfe and Frtiz were not feuding. “They needed separation to appreciate each other.”