'American Pickers' star Mike Wolfe reveals what happened during the last moments of Frank Fritz
Frank Fritz, the star of 'American Pickers,' died on September 30, 2024, from "late sequela of cerebral infarction" or stroke brought on by cerebral vascular disease. Fritz's former co-host and childhood friend Mike Wolfe confirmed his death with a lengthy emotional post on Instagram. "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," he wrote. In a heartbreaking interview with People, Wolfe recalled that he was one of the close family members beside Fritz as he took his last breath. "I was there for about an hour before he passed, and I was holding his hand and rubbing his chest when he took his last breath. I took my fingers and I closed his eyes."
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The History Channel stars were first drawn to each other in middle school because of their similar upbringings—both of them were fatherless—and "life struggles" helped them bond. Wolfe acknowledged feeling anguished to have witnessed his best friend's last moments, "I just told him that I wasn't mad at him and that I loved him and that I cared about him so much," he shared. "Once he had the stroke and he went into a facility, I saw him so many times and I was able to speak to him very candidly, and very lovingly, about everything that I ever wanted to say to him," he added. However, the close friends were embroiled in a major rift in 2021, Fritz had accused Wolfe of stealing his limelight while they worked together on the show.
The late actor stopped making appearances on 'American Pickers' after March 2020, he later revealed in an exclusive with The Sun that he had left the show because of Wolfe's "arrogance." "The show is tilted towards him 1,000 percent. I can’t even bend that far down to show you how much. I haven’t talked to Mike in two years. He knew my back was messed up, but he didn’t call me up and ask how I was doing. That’s just how it is," Fritz said while criticizing his longtime friend and co-host. “I think Mike wants to get his brother Robbie in there to replace me. I don’t know why he’s behaving like that towards me," he added.
Meanwhile, Wolfe confessed that their feud left a void, at the time it was like "losing a brother," he said. They soon got back in touch during the epidemic, and Wolfe assisted Fritz in overcoming his addictions to alcohol and opioids." I never stepped away from him completely. That would be impossible for me to do. But I watched all of it unfold. I tried to help him as best I could," he added. Wolfe wanted his best friend to rejoin the show but in 2022 tragedy struck and Fritz was hospitalized after suffering a severe stroke. This led to major health complications, "I got the call that he wasn't doing well. I just feel blessed that I was able to get there," Wolfe said referring to their sentimental yet poignant goodbye.