Frank Fritz Had Crohn’s Disease For Over Three Decades And Suffered Chronic Back Pain
Frank Fritz, an American television personality, tragically lost his life at the age of 60 on September 30, 2024. He had Crohn’s disease and chronic back pain.
He was renowned for his appearance in the reality television show American Pickers, and his co-star, Mike Wolfe, confirmed his demise.
Highlights
- Frank Fritz didn’t have cancer but had Crohn’s disease for over three decades.
- His friend, Annette Oberlander, expressed Frank had a stroke in 2022 and never fully recovered.
- He was placed under temporary guardianship following a debilitating stroke to avoid immediate harm while he recovered.
Frank Lee Fritz used to drive around the U.S. looking for antiques and collectibles to buy and resell on the History Channel reality show.
He worked alongside Mike and looked for amazing things buried in people’s garages and barns.
They see dollar signs in what most people see as junk and buy anything they can make money.
A&E Networks produced American Pickers in collaboration with Cineflix Media and premiered on January 18, 2010.
Frank worked on the show for over a decade and described him as a bearded charmer on a never-ending search for vintage motorbikes.
Frank Fritz Never Fully Recovered From the Stroke
Fans speculate Frank Fritz had cancer, but he had Crohn’s disease for over three decades. It is an inflammatory bowel disease.
He traveled in an RV with a bathroom and told the Quad-City Times that you can live a productive life regardless of the adversities.
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. pic.twitter.com/2kKSdgVqdS
— American Pickers (@americanpickers) October 1, 2024
His fans noticed him losing weight between the eighth and ninth seasons of American Pickers, and he revealed it was due to Crohn’s disease.
He missed a few episodes of reality television while undergoing back surgery in 2019.
Annette Oberlander, his longtime friend, expressed Frank had a stroke in 2022 and never fully recovered. She said,
He was a fierce friend. He leaves behind an incredible number of close friendships because that’s what was most important to him.
According to the court documents, he was placed under temporary guardianship following a debilitating stroke.
He could not communicate and carry out important decisions concerning his financial affairs.
The petition states that a guardian is necessary to avoid immediate harm while he recovers.
Furthermore, Frank was charged with OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) in 2017 after driving the wrong way on the interstate.
Authorities detected Xanax and THC in his system, and he attended a substance evaluation program.
Moreover, the History Channel fired him from reality television in 2021 after he went to rehab for alcoholism.
Nonetheless, Frank passed away on Monday night at a hospice facility in Davenport, Iowa, following a stroke.
He spent around $30,000 monthly on his healthcare before his tragic demise.
Additional Information
- Frank Fritz, the son of Bill and Susan Fritz, was born on October 11, 1965, in Davenport, Iowa.
- He had amassed an estimated net worth of $6 million and owned Frank Fritz Finds, an antique store in Savanna, Illinois.
- He worked as a fire inspector for 25 years and shifted away from his fire safety work to focus on collecting antique and vintage items in 2002.
- He had an on-and-off romance with Diann Bankson before his demise.
