An unlucky oversight or a slight in opposition to a fallen fan favourite?
We’ll allow you to determine.
As we reported, Frank Fritz handed away final month because of problems from a stroke. The truth star finest identified for his time on the Historical past Channel present American Pickers had been coping with well being points since 2022, and was compelled to depart the present because of his situation.
On Wednesday, October ninth, the most recent season of the beloved actuality present returned and followers settled in to observe how the group would honor him.
Many had been left extremely disenchanted.
Season Premiere Angers ‘American Pickers’ Followers
When a longtime solid member dies, usually the present that made them well-known shares a tribute.
Sister Wives began off their new season with a point out of Garrison Brown, who died by suicide earlier this 12 months. Similar goes for Days of Our Lives, after they misplaced Drake Hogestyn.
It then appeared like a no brainer then to imagine that when Season 26 of American Pickers kicked off, it’d be devoted to Frank. In any case, it premiered just a bit over every week after his loss of life.
The season premiere aired and … nothing. There was no particular dedication in any respect. No opening graphic, not tribute on the finish of the episode. Nothing.
Evidently, followers weren’t joyful in any respect!
‘This Present Was and Is Nonetheless Useless to Me’
After his stroke in 2022, Frank left the sequence to maintain his well being. Followers have missed him, however have understood his absence.
They had been much less forgiving of the present failing to acknowledge his passing. On condition that the present was filmed months earlier than Frank’s loss of life, it was comprehensible that there was no footage discussing his passing.
However followers had been fast to level out the opposite methods they might’ve paid tribute.
“There was no dedication to Frank on the season premiere final night time. I really feel like they need to have a minimum of made a title card on the finish or one thing to honor him?” posted on Reddit consumer in a American Pickers sub-Reddit.
“Whole disrespect! This present was and remains to be useless to me,” posted one other, livid with the slight.
“Actually I feel the present is canine s—- with out Frank. I don’t even trouble watching episodes with out him anymore,” shared one other.
Historical past Channel’s Tribute To Frank
Now, to play satan’s advocate, the community did air a tribute to Frank after the information of his passing. The channel put collectively a highlights reel of favourite moments from his time on American Pickers.
It included moments like their huge sale to Aerosmith or when he received this near proudly owning a classic Knucklehead Harley Davidson. However the reel was posted on Youtube, not aired on the Historical past Channel itself.
It did, nonetheless, accompany this assertion:
“We’re saddened to share that our good friend and beloved member of The HISTORY Channel and American Pickers household, Frank Fritz, has handed away on September 30, 2024. Frank filmed American Pickers for over a decade. We are going to at all times keep in mind ‘the bearded charmer’ and his unending seek for classic bikes and bikes. Our ideas are with Frank’s family members throughout this troublesome time. He shall be deeply missed.”
Frank’s Ultimate Days
In the long run, it’s secure to say that it was a missed alternative for The Historical past Channel to not, on the very least, embrace a tribute card on the finish of the season premiere. However because the twenty sixth season is simply taking off, there’s time to appropriate the error.
Within the weeks that adopted Frank’s passing, followers have obtained extra details about Frank’s failing well being from his longtime good friend Jerry Gendreau.
He truly defined in an interview with The Solar simply how dangerous issues had been for poor Frank in direction of the tip.
“You’d go to see him within the nursing dwelling and one-half of his physique was fully carried out. He would carry his arm up and it might simply drop,” defined Jerry.
Including that it was “powerful to be completely bedridden” for Frank, Jerry defined that he felt Frank was simply able to be carried out with all of the “dangerous days.”
“I’ve seen this when individuals get drained, they get drained. I feel when you don’t have the desire to dwell, you received’t,” Jerry mentioned.
“I feel Frank might’ve lived loads longer if the desire to dwell would’ve been there.”
Right here’s hoping he’s at peace now.
