'American Pickers' Star Frank Fritz Dies at 60

Frank Fritz, the former star of History Channel reality television show American Pickers, reportedly died at age 60 on Monday evening (September 30).

The news was confirmed on Instagram by Fritz's American Pickers costar, Mike Wolfe, who has remained on the series while Fritz left in 2020.

"It’s with a broken heart that I share with all of you that Frank passed away last night," Wolfe's post began. "I’ve [known] 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."

In October 2022, Fritz suffered a stroke, per People, following his departure from American Pickers, which was reportedly caused by a rift between him and Wolfe. The previous July, Fritz told The Sun that he and Wolfe hadn't spoken in two years, despite him recently undergoing back surgery.

Born in Davenport, Iowa, on October 11, 1965, Fritz would later be a founding member of LeClaire's Antique Archaeology and own an antique store in Savanna, Illinois, called Frank Fritz Finds. During his time on American Pickers, from 2010 to 2020, Fritz and his crew would frequently travel America and search for rare items, treasures and artifacts intended to be sold or placed in their personal collections.

Fritz's death was also confirmed on Facebook, where it was revealed that he passed away around 7:30 in the evening and that Wolfe raced to be by his side.