The Heartbreaking Tragedy of Pawn Stars' Rick Harrison
Rick Harrison has built his life around a pawn shop—and turned it into a reality TV empire.
For years, fans watched him on Pawn Stars as the straight-shooting expert at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas. But behind the scenes, Rick's life has been anything but smooth. He's dealt with everything from legal fights to messy divorces—but nothing compared to what happened in early 2024.
In January, Rick lost his son, Adam Harrison, at just 39 years old.
The Clark County Coroner's Office confirmed that Adam died from an overdose of fentanyl and methamphetamine. His death was ruled accidental. According to reports, Adam hadn't been seen since January 17. He was found unresponsive in his apartment by his landlord on January 19.
Rick posted a photo of himself with Adam at a restaurant, writing, "You'll always be in my heart. I love you, Adam 💔." It was a rare personal post from someone who usually keeps things close to the vest.
The family's spokesperson, Laura Herlovich, confirmed the cause in a statement on January 22: "We are deeply saddened by Adam's passing. Please respect our privacy as we mourn his loss." Rick also added: "The fentanyl crisis in this country needs to be addressed more seriously."
Condolences poured in. Donald Trump Jr. wrote, "I'm so sorry man." Rick's other son, Corey—familiar to fans of the show—shared a childhood photo of the two brothers and captioned it: "I'll always love you, Bubba."
Unlike Corey, Adam wasn't part of Pawn Stars. He had worked at the shop at one point but later became a plumber and mostly stayed out of the spotlight. As Corey once explained, Adam "didn't really want to be on TV."
Rick has always been the public face of the family, but this loss hit differently. And it came after a rough few years—his father's death in 2018, the pandemic's impact on the shop, a lawsuit from his own mother over business finances, and a string of personal setbacks. But losing Adam? That was the kind of heartbreak no business success could ever fix.
Today, Rick no longer works full-time at the shop. He's still on TV—starring in Pawn Stars Do America—and he's hinted at political ambitions, from endorsing Trump to floating the idea of a Senate run. He was even inducted as a Kentucky Colonel in 2023, the highest civilian honor in the state.
But despite the TV appearances and occasional public spotlight, it's clear Rick carries this loss with him. His tribute to Adam wasn't flashy. It was short, direct, and devastating.
"You'll always be in my heart."
Sometimes that's all a father can say.