Danielle Colby Breaks Silence on Frank Fritz’s Tragic Exit From ‘American Pickers’: The Heartbreaking Truth Revealed

For years, the world of reality television has been captivated by the treasure-hunting adventures of Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz on the hit series “American Pickers.” Their on-screen chemistry, a delightful blend of brotherly love and playful banter, made them household names. But when Frank Fritz abruptly disappeared from the show in 2020, fans were left reeling, and a storm of speculation and rumor began to brew. Now, after years of silence, their co-star and friend, Danielle Colby, is finally sharing the full, heartbreaking story behind Frank’s departure and his untimely passing.

In a recent, candid interview, Colby pulled back the curtain on the carefully curated world of reality television to reveal a story of friendship, fame, and the devastating toll of chronic illness. Her account is not one of a bitter feud or a dramatic falling out, as many have speculated, but rather a tragic tale of a man’s quiet battle with his own body and the heartbreaking circumstances that led to the end of an era for “American Pickers” fans.

From the very beginning, Danielle Colby was at the heart of the “American Pickers” operation. Long before the show became a global phenomenon, she was a trusted friend of Mike Wolfe, managing his antique shop, Antique Archaeology, in Iowa. While Mike and Frank were out on the road, digging through dusty barns and forgotten attics, Danielle was the one holding down the fort, taking calls, and chasing down leads. She had a front-row seat to the dynamic between the two men, a partnership that she describes as a perfect balance of Mike’s big-picture dreaming and Frank’s meticulous attention to detail. In those early days, she recalls, there were occasional signs of friction, the kind of minor disagreements that are inevitable between two people who spend so much time together, but nothing that hinted at the storm to come.

As the popularity of “American Pickers” exploded, so too did the demands on its stars. The once-leisurely pace of picking turned into a grueling, 250-day-a-year filming schedule. The pressure mounted, and the subtle cracks in Mike and Frank’s partnership began to show. Mike, ever the showman, embraced the fame, expanding the “American Pickers” brand with a second shop in Nashville. Frank, on the other hand, was a more private person, and he began to retreat from the spotlight, growing increasingly weary of the “circus” that the show had become.

It was around 2017 that Danielle began to notice a more significant shift. Frank’s lifelong battle with Crohn’s disease was taking a heavy toll on his health. He was missing more and more filming days, and when he was on set, he often appeared worn out and in pain. The crew would whisper their concerns to Danielle, and she could see the strain on Frank’s face. He was growing frustrated, not with Mike, but with the relentless demands of the show and his own failing health.

The breaking point came in March 2020, when Frank Fritz’s last episode of “American Pickers” aired. The news of his departure was delivered to Danielle by Mike, who simply said that Frank would not be returning. The official explanation was vague, citing Frank’s back problems, but fans were not convinced. The rumor mill went into overdrive, with many speculating that a bitter feud between Mike and Frank was to blame.

For over a year, Danielle remained silent, watching as the tabloids spun their own narratives. But in July 2021, she could no longer stay quiet. In an emotional Instagram post, she stood in solidarity with Mike, while also expressing her profound sadness for Frank’s struggles. She wrote that she had “personally watched everything over the last decade” and that Frank had “caused so much pain for himself that it has been hard to watch.” She hoped that he would get the help he so desperately needed.

Her words were a stark and poignant glimpse into the private pain that Frank had been enduring. But it wasn’t until months after his passing in October 2024 that Danielle felt ready to share the full story. In a raw and emotional interview, she finally set the record straight, revealing that Frank’s body had simply “given out.” It wasn’t a dramatic fight or a bitter rivalry that had driven him from the show, but the devastating and relentless progression of his Crohn’s disease.

Danielle’s account paints a picture of a man who was not only battling a debilitating illness but also the pressures of fame and the physical demands of a job that he loved. She tearfully recounted how Mike had stood by his friend’s side, paying his bills and visiting him frequently in the hospital during his final days. The narrative of a bitter feud, she explained, was a fabrication, a story spun by those who didn’t understand the true nature of their friendship. The real fight, she said, was not between Mike and Frank, but between Frank and his own body.

In the end, the story of Frank Fritz’s departure from “American Pickers” is a tragic one, a reminder that behind the bright lights of Hollywood, real people are fighting real battles. It’s a story of a friendship that was tested by fame and illness, but never truly broken. And it’s a story that, thanks to Danielle Colby’s courage and honesty, can finally be told.