In an emotional interview, American Pickers star Mike Wolfe opened up about the heartbreaking final moments he shared with his longtime friend and former co-star Frank Fritz.
The reality TV star died on September 30 due to stroke complications at the age of 60.
As previously reported on Monsters and Critics, Fritz’s courageous and costly health battle lasted for several years before his untimely death.
Speaking for the first time about their friendship’s highs and lows, Wolfe recounted the special bond they shared from adolescence to adulthood.
Wolfe candidly addressed rumors of their relationship and why they fell out before reuniting.
Together, they transformed American Pickers into a History Channel staple, becoming fan favorites for their infectious love of vintage finds and American history.
Mike Wolfe describes Frank Fritz’s final moments before his death
In Fritz’s final days, Wolfe, his mother, and Fritz’s late mother’s best friend were by his side. In an interview with PEOPLE, Wolfe described receiving a phone call about Fritz’s condition and making it to him an hour before he died.
“I was holding his hand and rubbing his chest when he took his last breath,” he said, continuing: “I took my fingers and I closed his eyes.”
“I told him that I wasn’t mad at him and that I loved him.” Wolfe reassured Fritz, urging him to “go find your mom,” guiding his friend toward peace.
Reflecting on their journey, Wolfe shared that he finds solace in knowing they reconciled before Fritz’s passing. “He was a beautiful person,” he said. Wolfe hopes that fans will remember Fritz for the joy he brought to their lives: “I just want people to know who he was.”
Mike Wolfe describes Fritz’s struggle with addiction
The American Pickers duo bonded over difficult childhoods, finding kinship in their shared experience of growing up without fathers. It was Fritz’s belief in Wolfe’s vision that helped propel American Pickers from an idea to a successful show.
In 2010, the series debuted, and the duo’s lives changed forever. However, with fame came unforeseen difficulties.
In 2021, Fritz openly shared his struggles with alcohol and revealed he hadn’t spoken to Wolfe in two years. Although his remarks hurt, Wolfe empathized that he continued to pray for his then-estranged friend and added that “there were a lot of things that were said that weren’t true.”
During the pandemic, the friends faced their own struggles as their relationships fell apart. Fritz underwent surgery for a back injury, leading to a painful recovery that introduced a new challenge: addiction to pain medication.
Wolfe knew his friend was in trouble and, along with Fritz’s family, staged an intervention. But Fritz chose to face his struggles alone. “I asked him how he was doing, and he told me, ‘I’m fine,’” Wolfe recalled. “And then, a month later, he was gone.”
As Fritz’s health worsened, Wolfe tried to help him rejoin American Pickers. Production, however, required negative drug tests that Fritz couldn’t provide, leading to his exit.
Despite the personal challenges and their rift, he never gave up on Fritz. The two eventually reconnected, and Wolfe welcomed him back with open arms, knowing Fritz’s pain stemmed from his addiction.
Talks of a potential return to the show were cut short in 2022 when Fritz suffered a debilitating stroke.
American Pickers on Wednesdays at 9/8c on the History Channel.