'American Pickers' star Frank Fritz's close friend reveals what his final wish was: "He wanted to..."
Frank Fritz joined the antique hunting reality show 'American Pickers' in 2010 as a co-host alongside his childhood friend Mike Wolfe. He abruptly left the show in March 2020 and became bedridden after suffering a severe stroke in 2022. Fritz left behind a lasting legacy when he unexpectedly died due to health complications in his hometown of Davenport, Iowa, on September 30, 2024, at the age of 60. According to The Sun, the late reality star's final wish was to journey through the Quad Cities, a group of four cities located in Illinois and Iowa.
Jerry Gendreau, his close friend revealed to the publication, “My understanding at this point, and this was his will, he wanted to come on the back of a motorcycle or a sidecar with his ashes in an urn with a big ride and go back to the Quad Cities.” Gendreau added, “We’ll do anything we can for him. That’s what he really wanted to do." The vintage motorbike enthusiast who passed away two weeks before his 61st birthday owned an antique store in Savanna, Illinois, named 'Frank Fritz Finds'. As per CBS News, 'American Pickers' honored his memory by calling him a 'bearded charmer.' Close friend Annette Oberlander Willows informed the news outlet that, in fulfillment of his final request, friends and family were organizing a motorbike rally in spring.
"He was a fierce friend," Oberlander said. "He leaves behind an incredible amount of friendships because that's what was most important to him. A very large amount of friendships. Close friendships." Additionally, she posted a heartfelt commemorative message on Facebook celebrating his birthday, "Today would have been Frank's 61st birthday. For the last 2 years, I made him a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. One for his birthday and one for mine and we would celebrate. The small little story he would rarely share even a piece other than with me. It gives me a chuckle the way he guarded it," she wrote.
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
“Happy birthday in heaven Frank!” a fan expressed below the sentimental post. Soon others flooded the comments section wishing the late actor. “Can't get it off my mind… Been thinking about it being his birthday the last few days... He will be forever in my heart,” a fan wrote in grief. “Happy birthday to the bearded charmer Frank R.I.P," another online user wished. During his final days, Fritz was confined to a wheelchair and had to travel back and forth between the hospital and the rehabilitation facility, which had a negative psychological impact. Gendreau revealed that the reality star has lost the will to live, “I think Frank could’ve lived a lot longer if the will to live would’ve been there.”
This resulted in his friends filing for a conservatorship, “Mr. Fritz’s decision-making capacity is so impaired that he is unable to make, communicate, or carry out important decisions concerning his own financial affairs," the official documents stated. It was deemed “necessary” to “avoid immediate harm to him.” The reality star's close friend Chris Davis and MidWestOne Bank took charge of his finances. “There will be a celebration of life in the future. It will be big. Fans can attend," Davis said referring to Fritz's memorial plans back then. No burial service was held as Fritz was cremated per his last wish.
