American Pickers star Frank Fritz had a rough final few years before he passed last week. The star battled health issues, limited mobility, and complications. But he remained unapologetically Frank despite what life threw his way.
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There's something inspiring about holding onto yourself despite what life throws at you. Everybody wants an ace, but sometimes life hands you a couple of 2s or 3s or god forbid a joker. These past few years Frank was playing through a bad hand, but the reality star kept his sense of humor.
Previously, inside sources spoke with the U.S. Sun about Fritz and his health issues. In 2022, the American Pickers star suffered a stroke. It left him wheelchair-bound and unable to move half of his body.
"He has been bad since the stroke and he had been getting worse," an inside source said. The star struggled with mobility. "He was unable to move the right side of his body. He needed 24-hour care. There was no way he was getting better. He was in a home."
Fritz couldn't walk long distances following the stroke.
"He can walk, but he's always going to need the wheelchair because he can't walk long distances," a source said. "Basically, you lose motion. He lost motion. A stroke can affect your left or your right side, it affected his right side."
Frank Fritz Maintained Good Nature
Sometimes, it's easy to just want to give up when bad things like this happens. But Fritz maintained his good nature, according to friends.
They said, "He's the same old Frank. He has a good attitude and a great sense of humor. We crack jokes all the time. You gotta make the best of the situation so he's come to terms with all of that. His mind is right, he's a happy guy and his sense of humor is there."
That being said, Fritz did experience some impairment due to his stroke, sadly. Prior to his death, one of Fritz's friends Chris Davis acted as his guardian. Meanwhile, MidWestOne Bank acted as a conservator.
"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."
