History Channel’s reality TV series, American Pickers, is back in 2023, and fans can’t wait to hear more about Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz. While Wolfe still stars on the show, Fritz does not, as the series dismissed him in 2020. He later had a serious health scare involving a stroke. So, how is Fritz’s health ahead of new episodes airing in July 2023? Here’s what to know.
How is Frank Fritz’s health in 2023?
Frank Fritz dealt with a serious health scare in July 2022. He was found unresponsive in his home following a stroke. Thankfully, after the scary incident, his father reported his son was in “stable condition.” At the time, Mike Wolfe posted about the situation on Instagram.
“I have been very private in the past year in regards to Frank’s life and the journey he’s been on,” Wolfe posted, according to The Sun. “There have been lots of opinions in regards to mine and Frank’s friendship and the show but now is not the time to set the record straight. Now is the time to pray for my friend. Frank has suffered a stroke and is in the hospital. Please keep him in your hearts and thoughts.”
Fritz entered a rehab facility in Iowa in September 2022, but more health issues struck in November 2022. His caregivers called for help on Nov. 17, 2022, following a seizure. Just a few weeks later in December 2022, another caregiver called for help due to Fritz’s “elevated blood pressure.” Finally, at the end of the month, emergency services rushed Fritz to the hospital for pneumonia.
So, what does Fritz’s health look like in 2023? It appears he returned home from rehab (at least temporarily) in March 2023 and had a wheelchair ramp built into his Iowa farmhouse. Court papers obtained by The Sun also noted his house needed to be outfitted with “ramps” and “handles” for the shower and toilet, too.
Additionally, a friend of Fritz’s told the Quad-City Times that he continues to receive in-patient care related to the stroke, but he wishes to remain private about his current health status.
Fritz also has a court-ordered guardian to “assist him in decision-making since the stroke,” and MidWestOne Bank is the conservator for Fritz’s finances. Fritz’s guardian, a reported “longtime friend,” also helps Fritz with his physical therapy and Crohn’s disease treatments.
Frank Fritz previously went to rehab for alcoholism
American Pickers star Frank Fritz spoke to The Sun about entering rehab for alcoholism before the series fired him.
“I went to rehab and I’ve been sober now for 11 months,” he told The Sun in July 2021. “I didn’t like drinking anymore. My mom was an alcoholic and she died five years ago and it was alcohol-related. My grandfather was an alcoholic and he died. That didn’t sit well with me.”
The star gave additional information about what his time in rehab was like. “They gave me a lot of information and we were booked up for 13 or 14 hours a day,” he added. “There was no sitting around watching TV or eating food. You were scheduled out for an hour, then an hour and half, all through the day.”
He noted he had a wonderful experience and even called it one of the “best things” he ever did for himself and he wished he did it earlier.
He won’t appear in new episodes of ‘American Pickers’ 2023
Sadly, fans won’t see Frank Fritz in new episodes of American Pickers in 2023. His health remains his focus moving forward.
With that said, Fritz could potentially still appear in new episodes in future seasons. He reportedly met up with Mike Wolfe over Memorial Day weekend in 2023, and Wolfe hopes to see Fritz return. “Mike really stressed all the good times they had before the show and during the show,” Fritz’s friend told the Quad-City Times. “Mike did say he’d like Frank back on the show, but Frank is focused on his health.”
American Pickers airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on History Channel.
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