American Pickers: Danielle Colby Breaks Silence on Frank Fritz's Death
Nearly a year after the death of American Pickers co-host Frank Fritz, longtime cast member Danielle Colby has spoken publicly for the first time about their former colleague—and it's clear the loss still stings.
"Boy, we miss Frank," Colby told Newsweek. "We miss his laughter. We miss his sense of humor… A very, very witty man." They continued, "I miss those rare moments where he was emotionally vulnerable… We love Frank and we miss him. Huge loss."
Fritz, who co-hosted American Pickers alongside Mike Wolfe until his departure in 2021, died on September 30, 2024, at the age of 60. According to his death certificate (as cited by TMZ), the cause of death was a stroke due to cerebral vascular disease, with aortic stenosis and COPD listed as contributing factors.
For a man who made his name digging through forgotten barns, Fritz's exit from the show and eventual passing was anything but tidy. When he left the show in 2021, he later revealed to The U.S. Sun that he had been in treatment for alcohol abuse and that his relationship with Wolfe had soured. Still, Wolfe told People in November 2024 that the two had reconciled before Fritz's death, calling him "very sensitive, very caring, extremely funny," and praising his uncanny comedic timing.
Colby, who uses they/them pronouns, had also paid tribute on Instagram shortly after Fritz's passing:
"Frank, I will miss your ability to make everyone laugh, your love for talking tattoos, your epic collections, but what I will miss the most are those little glimpses of vulnerability from time to time. Frank, you loved your cat and your momma, and we bonded on those things. You will be missed for all of these reasons and so many more."
Fritz's final years were marked by health struggles and personal rifts, but in the end, his absence is being felt deeply—not just by the Pickers team, but in the community he once represented.
Because if American Pickers taught viewers anything, it's that the most valuable finds are usually the ones you didn't realize you were missing—until they're gone.