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'American Pickers’ star Frank Fritz had ‘lost the will to live’ — friend reveals what led to his death

Frank’s journey became overwhelmingly difficult after he suffered a massive stroke. His close friend opened up about the late star’s grueling recovery.

The heartbreaking final years of ‘American Pickers’ star Frank Fritz have come to light, revealing a devastating struggle that ultimately led to his death at 60. Fritz, beloved for his charm and humor on the History Channel show, passed away in hospice care in Iowa on September 30, surrounded by loved ones, including his longtime friend and co-star, Mike Wolfe. Fritz’s journey became overwhelmingly difficult after he suffered a massive stroke in July 2020. His close friend Jerry Gendreau, who owns the Hawg Dogs bar in Savanna, Illinois—home to Frank’s antique store, Frank Fritz Finds—opened up about the late star’s grueling recovery.

As per The New York Post, he noted, "You would go to see him in the nursing home and one-half of his body was completely done. He would lift his arm up and it would just drop. That’s got to be tough to be totally bedridden.” Gendreau described Fritz’s agitation during recovery, explaining how he struggled to communicate. He revealed, “I’ve seen this when people get tired, they get tired. I think if you don’t have the will to live, you won’t…I think Frank could’ve lived a lot longer if the will to live would’ve been there.”

Despite the challenges, Fritz’s humor and authenticity remained a hallmark of his personality. He recalled, “He was truly the comedian who popped out with some of the weirdest and dumbest things that you just go, ‘Wow,’ Frank was pretty much a what you see is what you get guy. His faults were his faults. You can’t fault anybody for being what they are. He was a right is right and wrong is wrong kind of person. He made a mark on history.” Fritz’s condition after the stroke required extensive care. He was wheelchair-bound, unable to move the right side of his body, and frequently hospitalized for complications like pneumonia and seizures.

As per The Sun, in August 2022, his friends filed for a conservatorship to manage his care. Reports suggested that Fritz’s “decision-making capacity [was] so impaired” that he could no longer care for himself or manage his finances. His guardian, Chris Davis, and conservator, MidWestOneBank, oversaw his needs, which included long-term nursing care. Mike Wolfe, who had a public falling out with Fritz in 2021, shared his grief over his friend’s passing on Instagram. He wrote, "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…”

Fritz’s stroke, combined with other health issues, including Crohn’s disease and aortic stenosis, made his final years incredibly challenging. Though his death certificate cites the stroke as the cause, Jerry believes the emotional toll of his condition played a prominent role. Davis poignantly shared, “I will say Frank loved his fans and he passed away peacefully with friends at his side.”