'American Pickers' Star Frank Fritz Suffered a Stroke a Few Months after His Ex Moved on with New Man

Frank Fritz starred in American Pickers for 21 seasons and enjoyed significant success because of the show. However, in 2020 Fritz vanished from the show, leaving fans with many questions.

Fritz starred in the first few episodes of the season, but by episode seven, he was nowhere to be seen, and fans began asking questions about his whereabouts, which were only answered in July 2021.

This came after Fritz revealed he was battling Crohn's disease in 2013. Fans noticed that he had lost a substantial amount of weight and began wondering what caused the weight loss.

The star shared the news with his fans that he has been struggling with Crohn's disease most of his life and sometimes struggled to keep it under control sometimes, resulting in him losing weight. Now that he has left, "American Pickers" fans have speculated that his Crohn's disease is to blame. However, he has said he simply finished filming.

Before leaving the show, Fritz had stopped talking to his co-star, Mike Wolfe. He revealed that he and Wolfe had not spoken in two years and described his co-star as "arrogant." Fritz even shared that after he had back surgery, Wolfe hadn't called to check on him.

Fritz wouldn't share exactly what their feud was about, but he did say that he and Wolfe were not getting along because of how their show was set out. Fritz said:

"The show is tilted towards him 1,000 percent. I can’t even bend that far down to show you how much.”

Although Fritz did mention that he and Wolfe were not on speaking terms because of their feud, he also said that he would like to rejoin the show one day when there isn't as much tension in the air.

Fritz has once again lost an incredible amount of weight and fans described him as unrecognizable. He explained the weight loss again, attributing it to his Crohn's disease.

The star said he had to follow a strict diet as Crohn's is an inflammatory bowel disease, which means eating healthier food and drinking healthier drinks alleviates the symptoms. He also shared that he had been sober because of his Crohn's disease, saying:

“Not drinking helps with the weight loss because when you drink you eat. I’m not dieting. I haven’t had a drink in almost nine, ten months.

In the past, Fritz knew that he drank too much and shared that his life had changed since he stopped drinking, not only in terms of his health but his outlook on life.

FRITZ'S SPLIT FROM DIANN

The person who was by Fritz's side through his struggle with Crohn's disease was his ex-fiancee, Diann Bankson. The pair had been together for many years but decided to split earlier this year.

Fritz and Bankson got engaged in 2017 but never reached the alter because of the problems they were experiencing in their relationship. Recently Fritz has attributed these problems to his drinking.

Fritz shared that while trying to stay healthy during his and Bankson's relationship, he drank too heavily for their relationship to remain healthy. He ultimately admitted:

“I tried to drink her away.”

Although their relationship didn't last, it was clear that Fritz and Bankson loved each other, and it was even said that Fritz treated Bankson's daughter, Paige, and granddaughter, Eulalia, like family.

In 2018 Fritz even bought a house for himself and Bankson to live in, but they put it back on the market in August 2019. This came after a scandal that left Bankson heartbroken and confused about their relationship. However, the couple stuck it out for a while after the first heartbreak.

After purchasing their home in 2018, Fritz was caught by Bankson in bed with another woman. This was the first of many problems in their relationship, ending with a lawsuit.

The lawsuit stated that Fritz had cheated on Bankson and that he and a friend had let off fireworks inside the couple's home after consuming too much alcohol. This incident left Bankson with third-degree burns. In 2020 the lawsuit was dismissed.

Once Fritz and Bankson broke up, she waited a while and then found love with a new man. However, Fritz has not moved on and branded Bankson as a cheater. He said he got a tattoo, so he would never forget her betrayal.

Fritz explained his heartbreak at being cheated on and told The Sun that he had plans for himself and Bankson, which were no longer in place. He shared:

“I was going to get married, I bought a house and a big expensive ring, and then I find out my fiancée had been dating somebody else for two and a half years.

However, Bankson denied the claims against her, saying that she knew the truth and that Fritz was playing the victim. Bankson admitted that all that mattered to her was that she knew the truth.

Bankson has now moved in with her new beau, an Iowa native, while Fritz remains single and focused on his health while he heals from his breakup with Bankson. This has become something of a challenge in recent days, though.

ANOTHER HEALTH SCARE FOR FRITZ

Recently, Fritz has suffered another frightening health issue, resulting in his hospitalization. The health scare has been so severe that co-star Mike Wolfe took to his Instagram page to ask for prayers for Fritz.

The pair may not have spoken for two years, and Wolfe mentioned as much in his post but said that they remain friends and he wishes for Fritz to recover from the stroke he suffered speedily.

The post was met with good wishes from friends and fans alike, all saying their thoughts, love, and prayers were with Fritz during this difficult time.