Iowa Native and American Pickers Star Suffers Stroke
One of the stars of the longtime television show American Pickers has reportedly suffered a stroke, and his partner on the show is asking for fans to pray.
The Quad Cities Times reports that the creator and executive producer of American Pickers, Mike Wolfe, posted on his Facebook page that his former partner of the show, Frank Fritz, has suffered a stroke. Fritz is a native of Davenport, Iowa. Wolfe stated on his page,
Now is the time to pray for my friend. Frank has suffered a stroke and is in the hospital. Please keep him in your hearts and thoughts.
The 57-year-old Fritz took a leave from the show in 2020 and 2021 to recover from back surgery, according to the Quad Cities Times. He also suffers from Crohn's disease. Fritz has reportedly spent time in rehab to kick an alcohol habit and has lost some 65 pounds. He was eventually fired from the show in July of 2021.
The television show American Pickers made its debut back in January of 2010. The show followed Wolfe and Fritz as they hunted for some of America's most valuable antiques. They made popular the art of 'picking.' So popular that both men still have their own shops open to the public. The Quad Cities Times reports that Wolfe's shop, Antique Archeology, is located in Leclaire, Iowa. Fritz's shop called Frank Fritz Finds is in nearby Savanna, Illinois.
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