AMERICAN Pickers star Frank Fritz’s final wish before his death has been revealed as the beloved picker’s loved ones remember him on his 61st birthday.
Frank passed away on Monday, September 30 at 60 years old, two years after suffering a debilitating stroke.
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Frank Fritz outside of his home in Davenport, IowaCredit: Coleman-Rayner
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Frank Fritz’s good friend Jerry Gendreau revealed the star’s final wishCredit: News Enterprises Inc
The American Pickers star died just two weeks before his 61st birthday.
In an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun, Frank’s close friend Jerry Gendreau revealed how he is honoring the star’s final wish to keep his memory alive.
“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.”
Frank’s final ride through the Quad Cities, which is a region of four cities in Iowa and Illinois, would take place in the Spring.
“We’ll do anything we can for him,” Jerry vowed. “That’s what he really wanted to do.”
Frank’s conservator, Chris Davis, also revealed memorial plans for his beloved friend.
He previously told The U.S. Sun, “There will be a celebration of life in the future. It will be big. Fans can attend.
“We already have several bands who want to play in it, including my band.”
In addition to honoring Frank’s final wish, loved ones are also honoring the star on what would’ve been his 61st birthday.
“Today would have been Frank’s 61st birthday. For the last 2 years I made him a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting,” Frank’s good friend Annette Oberlander Willows posted on Facebook.
“One for his birthday and one for mine and we would celebrate. Small little story he would rarely share even a piece other than with me. It gives me a chuckle the way he guarded it.”
Fans have also flooded social media with birthday wishes for him, as one wrote, “Happy birthday in heaven Frank!”
“Happy memories keep them close to us. Happy birthday, Frank,” a second wrote.
A third said, “Happy birthday to the bearded charmer Frank R.I.P.”
“Can’t get it off my mind… Been thinking about it being his birthday last few days… He will be forever in my heart,” a fourth commented.
Jerry previously revealed what he would like fans to remember of his beloved friend.
“He was truly the comedian who popped out with some of the weirdest and dumbest things that you just go, ‘Wow,’” Jerry said.
“Frank was pretty much a what you see is what you get guy. His faults were his faults. You can’t fault anybody for being what they are. He was a right is right and wrong is wrong kind of person.
“He made a mark on history.”
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Frank Fritz on American PickersCredit: History Channel
The passing comes two years after Frank suffered a stroke in his Iowa home in July 2022.
He was left wheelchair-bound and returned to a rehabilitation center after the hospital stints.
“He can walk, but he’s always going to need the wheelchair because he can’t walk long distances,” a source previously told The U.S. Sun in August 2023.
“Basically, you lose motion. He lost motion. A stroke can affect your left or your right side, it affected his right side.”
Jerry also gave insight into Frank’s health struggles in recent months.
“He felt really, really bad,” he told previously The U.S. Sun.
“You would go to see him in the nursing home and one-half of his body was completely done. He would lift his arm up and it would just drop.
“That’s got to be tough to be totally bedridden.”
“I’ve seen this when people get tired, they get tired. I think if you don’t have the will to live, you won’t,” Jerry said.
“I think Frank could’ve lived a lot longer if the will to live would’ve been there.”
CONSERVATORSHIP
Frank’s close friends filed for a conservatorship and guardianship for him in August 2022.
“Because of his stroke, Mr. Fritz’s decision-making capacity is so impaired that he is unable to care for his own safety or to provide for necessities such as food, shelter, clothing, or medical care without which physical injury or illness may occur,” documents obtained by The U.S. Sun read.
“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.
“Decisions must be made for Mr. Fritz’s care and placement while he continues to recover and receive treatment for his injuries.”
The appointment of a guardian and conservator was deemed “necessary” to “avoid immediate harm to him.”
In July 2024, conservator MidWestOne demanded Frank’s finances be transferred to them because he needed “skilled” and “long-term” nursing care at the time.
LEAVING PICKERS
Frank left American Pickers in 2020 to undergo back surgery.
He was officially let go in 2021, as Frank revealed his feud with co-star Mike during an interview with The U.S. Sun in 2021.
Mike and Frank ended their feud during his health issues and reunited over Memorial Day Weekend of 2023.
Mike was by his side in hospice when he passed, along with other loved ones.
MIKE HONORING FRANK
Ahead of the American Pickers premiere this week, Mike dedicated the season to his longtime friend.
He wrote, “It’s has taken me a long time to figure out what I was going to say or if I even wanted to post that we have new episodes starting tomorrow night.
“The timing of this and Frank’s passing is not great however we have been making shows without Frank for four years now and we have always wanted him to be back with this crew, but he couldn’t due to health issues.
“Every time the crew and I were in Iowa, we would go and sit by Frank’s side and let him know how much he was missed, how he could never be replaced and we will work incredibly hard on every episode to make him proud.
“As always, since Frank has left, I dedicate this show and all the others this season in his honor.”
Season 26 of American Pickers kicked off on Monday, October 9 with Mike, Robbie Wolfe, Danielle Colby on Jon “Jersey Jon” Szalay.
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Frank Fritz and Mike Wolfe on American Pickers
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American Pickers stars Mike and Robbie Wolfe, Danielle Colby and Jon ‘Jersey Jon’ Szalay
