‘American Pickers’ stars Mike Wolfe and Danielle Colby lean on each other after Frank Fritz’s death

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: After the death of Frank Fritz, stars of 'American Pickers', Danielle Colby and Mike Wolfe, have expressed their affection for each other while reflecting on their late co-star.

The trio gained fame on the reality show, which showcases their adventures as they search through junkyards, basements, and garages for hidden treasures, all while encountering unique personalities along the way.

Frank Fritz's absence and tribute following his death

Frank Fritz's last appearance on the show was in March 2020, as he took a break to recover from back surgery. When 'American Pickers' returned in January 2021, he was notably absent. Mike Wolfe later announced that Fritz would not be returning to the series.

According to Fritz's death certificate, obtained by TMZ on October 11, the 60-year-old passed away on September 30 from "late sequela of cerebral infarction," a stroke linked to cerebral vascular disease.

In the wake of his death, Colby and Wolfe have shared supportive messages online. Wolfe, in a heartfelt Instagram post, reflected on the timing of the new season's premiere, acknowledging the difficulty following Fritz's passing.

He wrote, "It 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."

Wolfe continued, "The timing of this and Frank's passing is not great... 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." He dedicated the upcoming episodes to Fritz, expressing, "I will work incredibly hard on every episode to make him proud."

Colby responded to Wolfe's post with a message of love, saying, "I love you brother [mending heart emoji]," to which Wolfe replied, "Love you more Honey."

Mike Wolfe reflects on friendship with Frank Fritz

Mike Wolfe had previously announced Fritz's passing on October 1, writing, "It's with a broken heart that I share with all of you that Frank passed away last night." He reflected on their long friendship, describing Fritz as "a dreamer who was just as sensitive as he was funny."

He reminisced about their adventures, stating, "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?"

Wolfe concluded with a touching sentiment, "I feel blessed that I was there by his side when he took one last journey home. I love you buddy and will miss you so much. I know you're in a better place."

Wolfe and Fritz had previously experienced a public fallout following Wolfe's announcement regarding Fritz's absence from the show in January 2021.

Wolfe remarked at that time, "I will miss Frank, just like all of you, and I pray for the very best and all good things for him on the next part of his journey." Fritz had publicly criticized Wolfe's statement, suggesting it lacked sincerity.

Fritz responded to Wolfe's statement and told Newsweek at the time: "Mike's statement was b*******. Somebody wrote it out for him. I don't believe in 10 years he's said five nice things to me, you know? Unless he was cutting somebody else down and we were both laughing."