American Pickers actor Mike Wolfe has said that he held co-star and friend Frank Fritz’s hand as he ‘gave his final breath’.

Fritz died in September at the age of 60 due to stroke complications. He gained recognition for his anchoring of the antique and collectible show from 2010 to 2020. Wolfe took to Instagram to announce the death of his loyal buddy. His message said, in part, “It’s with a broken heart that I share with all of you that Frank passed away last night.”I’ve known Frank for more than half my life, and what you see on TV is exactly what I saw: a dreamer who was as sensitive as he was hilarious. Frank had a knack for touching people’s hearts by simply being himself, both on and off camera. “Who would have ever dreamed we would share the cockpit of a white cargo van in front of millions of people interested in our adventures?”

In a recent People interview, Wolfe shared his feelings about being the sole survivor after Fritz left American Pickers.
He left me to navigate through various situations on my own. I could complete his phrases. “He could finish my sentences,” he explained. Wolfe discussed multiple attempts to help Fritz with his addiction difficulties in his final years, including arranging an intervention with his friend’s family. “I recall running into him about a month later. He indicated he was going to manage things on his own, so I inquired how he was doing. He said, ‘I’m OK. I am fine. No, I’m quite fine. And then, about a month later, he disappeared,” Wolfe told People. Wolfe acknowledged that the couple’s relationship became strained over time, but they never completely disconnected.

When Fritz breathed his last, Wolfe was immediately by his side. “I received a call that he was not doing well. “I just feel grateful that I was able to get there,” Wolfe said. “I was there for about an hour before he died, and I was holding his hand and caressing his chest when he took his final breath. “I took my fingers and closed his eyes.” Wolfe described those precious final minutes as follows: “I just told him that I wasn’t mad at him, that I loved him, and that I cared about him so much.” When I saw he was struggling, I simply told him, “Just go find your mom.” Go find her immediately. “Just go find her.”