‘American Pickers’ Star Frank Fritz’s Cause of Death Confirmed

American Pickers star Frank Fritz was in hospice when he died last month. His cause of death points back to health struggles he’d experienced for quite awhile.

• American Pickers star Frank Fritz died at age 60 on Sept. 30.
• His TV show co-host Mike Wolfe announced the news in an emotional post on social media.
• American Pickers still airs on History Channel, but Fritz departed in 2021.

Related: Remembering the Reality Show Stars Who’ve Died in 2024

Fritz suffered a stroke two years ago, and — per the Quad City Times — did not fully recover. “He spent two-plus years in and out of in-patient rehab, the hospital and, ultimately, hospice care where he died Monday,” an article from Oct. 1 reads.

How Did Frank Fritz Die?

Fox News shares that Fritz also battled Crohn’s disease, a chronic autoimmune disease that irritates your digestive track. The Cleveland Clinic notes that Crohn’s is not fatal, but complications can arise if not managed properly.

The reality star’s manager told the news outlet about this as a circumstance around his death. Officially, Fritz died of complications from the stroke.

On Oct. 10, TMZ shared that the death certificate listed a stroke as the primary cause of death, with COPD and aortic stenosis contributing factors. They also say it was the stroke from two years ago, not a new one.

“We’ve been on countless trips and shared so many miles and I feel blessed that I was there by his side when he took one last journey home,” Wolfe said in his social media post honoring his late friend.

More than 220,000 people liked his Instagram post in two days.

Fritz and Wolfe had a falling out in 2020, and many assumed they still weren’t speaking until this news. TMZ states that they reconciled in 2023, with Fritz asking to see Wolfe at the time.

Wolfe described his friend as a dreamer: “The same off camera as he was on, Frank had a way of reaching the hearts of so many by just being himself.”