‘American Pickers’ Frank Fritz put under guardianship – things started going downhill after bad engagement.
Frank Fritz, a TV star, went through a tra-umatic split that resulted in drunkenness, joblessness, and a health crisis. Fritz had an on-again, off-again relationship with his longtime partner, Diann Bankson, who is now his ex.
Frank Fritz, host of American Pickers, met Diane Bankson when he was 25 and the couple dated for years. After buying their farm in Iowa, the couple got engaged in 2017 and moved in together a year later in 2018.
However, in November of that year, Bankson said she walked in on Fritz and found him in bed with another woman.
Surprisingly, Fritz said in an exclusive interview that Bankson cheated on her and even got a tattoo to remind him of her infidelity. He declared that he wanted to marry her.
To soothe his broken heart, he began drinking, noting that it was his method of coping with the breakup. He lost weight even though he drank a lot.
Fritz eventually quit drinking, but decided not to go out for a while after his divorce from Bankson after he was stung enough.
However, Fritz lost his job after a long stint on the History Channel’s “American Pickers.” Fritz left the reality show after one episode in March 2020.
He later attempted to return to the program after recovering from back surgery. Fritz claimed that now that he has fully recovered, he is ready to return to the position he has held for more than a decade.
But Fritz revealed that the network hasn’t given him a definitive statement about his upcoming return. He received a call from the show’s executives who agreed to contact him, but he hasn’t heard from them since.
According to reports, the TV show has “no plans” to bring back Fritz, who has been a regular on the show since 2010.
He also discovered that his old business partner, Bankson, had moved on with another guy. Bankson began dating Eric Longlett, an engineering administration manager.
Bankson introduced her new beau during her family graduation in February 2022. She gushed about him on Facebook a month later, thanking him for throwing her a birthday party. She said he took her on tour to see Elton John play and shared the musician’s birthday.
Fritz was hospitaIized months later, on July 4, 2022, after suffering a stroke. A friend found it on the floor of his house. Call 911 from Fritz’s farm in Iowa, stating that he can’t talk because he might have a seizure.
Fritz’s father, Bill Fritz, exclusively told the magazine that he is doing better and that his health is improving every day, weeks after being hospitaIized.
However, it was found that Fritz’s condition was not improving, so he was taken into care. He was taken to a hospitaI facility after being hospitaIized.
On August 18, 2022, his “longtime friend” reportedly requested an emergency appointment of a guardian and temporary guardian for him, which was granted by an Iowa court.
Fritz’s friend was appointed as his guardian and the bank was chosen as his trustee to oversee his funds.
He would be responsible for the maintenance of his facility, including daily expenses, health insurance, renovations and property taxes. The bank would also ensure that she has adequate transportation for activities and medical examinations.
By then, Fritz’s caregiver had been helping him make decisions since his stroke and was forced to create an early care plan for him.
Fritz’s life circumstances, current residence, health status and medical requirements, facilitating involvement in his activities and communication with his loved ones and romantic partners would all be part of the planning. The guardian is also obliged to submit an annual report.
Fritz was hospitaIized for a month after the stroke, and documentation indicated that his condition was serious. He was deemed incapable of making rational decisions about his own interests, safety or health care, based on documentation, without which bodily in-jury or illness could occur.
Furthermore, the records showed that his condition had deteriorated to the point where he was unable to make, discuss or implement key decisions about his financial affairs.
Additionally, court documents show that the TV personality lacks decision-making capacity. In the meantime, they said, while he recovers and tries to heal his wounds, decisions must be made on his behalf. It covers his maintenance and accommodation.
The court noted that the choice to appoint Fritz a guardian and conservator was made to save him from self-h-arm.