A few weeks ago, amidst rumors that American Pickers may be ending its storied run on History, veteran host Mike Wolfe posted a throwback to his early days out in the trenches with Frank Fritz. Years after the events in this post, Fritz tragically passed amidst health issues leading to a guardianship, rumors of a feud with Mike Wolfe and reported substance abuse struggles. Despite the drama, the post we got a few days ago was nothing but loving and tender about the time when the two were just getting started, and now Wolfe wants to set the record straight about the relationship with his longtime road tripping partner.
In a candid new interview, the reality star didn’t hold back about the troubles he saw his co-star facing daily on set before his exit from Pickers. However, if there’s one thing he wants the fans to know about Frank and him, it’s this:
I want people to know - and he would want people to know - that we loved each other like brothers.
Though rumors said they'd been feuding, we’d seen hints the two had made up before Fritz's death. Reports prior to his passing noted he and Wolfe had met and reconciled. The reality star also spoke with The Daily Mail about those final meetings with his American Pickers co-star.
He could barely speak. I wanted him to know how much I loved him. I would show him photos on my phone of things that I found, and we would talk as best we could about everything that we accomplished together. There were a lot of tears shed, and there were a lot of laughs, and there were so many beautiful things.
Following his exit from American Pickers, Frank Fritz was candid in the press about his struggles with substance abuse issues. He told outlets at the time he’d gone to rehab to get sober, and was addressing other health issues, including some stuff with his back. Wolfe says now that wasn’t the whole picture however, stating:
The reality of it is Frank was doing a lot of things that he was not supposed to do. We fought hard for him, and we loved him, and no matter how hard and no matter how much we wanted something for him, he had to make the decision to stop on his own.
Unfortunately, a stroke ultimately led Fritz to more health problems, and the beef he allegedly had with Mike Wolfe grew for a time after Wolfe allegedly leaked his medical information. It’s good the two were able to reconcile before his death, and it’s clear from Danielle Colby’s recent posts it was all love in the end, but the way things ultimately played out is still heartbreaking for everyone involved.
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