Frank Fritz, longtime co-host of the American Pickers reality show, died at age 60 on Sept. 30, 2024. The popular television program followed Fritz and his longtime friend, Mike Wolfe, as they traveled the country searching for antiques and long-lost gems in junkyards, old barns, attics and garage sales.
Fritz had been plagued with a variety of health issues, battling alcoholism and chronic back issues. He departed the show in 2020. After his departure, his health deteriorated further. Skepticism about Fritz’s mental capacity during this time are fueling his father’s challenge to his Last Will & Testament. Fritz’s estate is estimated to be about $6 million and includes his home, a motorcycle collection and valuable antiques.
Guardianship
In 2022, a friend found Fritz sprawled and unresponsive on the floor of his Iowa home. He had suffered a severe stroke that left him debilitated and unable to care for himself. His close friend Chris Davis petitioned for guardianship, noting that “Because of his stroke, Mr. Fritz’s decision-making capacity is so impaired that he is unable to care for his own safety, or to provide for necessities such as food, shelter, clothing, or medical care.” Supporting documentation from a physician indicated Fritz at that point did not have “decisional capacity.”
The court granted the guardianship, naming Davis as his personal guardian, and putting MedWestOne Bank in charge of his money. From that point until his passing, Fritz was in and out of the hospital, rehab and assisted living; at one point he was able to return to his own home for a period of time. He passed away while under Hospice care, with his friends, including old friend and co-star Mike Wolfe, at his side.
Father Contests Will
In October 2023 – eight months after suffering the stroke and while still in rehabilitation – Fritz signed a Last Will & Testament. It was filed in the court by a friend.
Now Fritz’s father, Bill, has challenged the validity of the Will. He is asking the court to set it aside, alleging that in October 2023 his son lacked mental capacity to execute the document. “We believe the evidence will ultimately show that the will is invalid for at least one if not multiple reasons,” his attorney has said. “The case is relatively new and will now proceed to be litigated in District Court.”
His father’s legal challenge has shocked and angered Fritz’s friends, who have hired attorneys to defend the Will. They claim that their friend understood what he was signing and that the Will reflects his authentic wishes. They are also attacking Bill’s motives, noting he moved away when Fritz was a child, and the two had little contact through the years. They point out that Bill visited Fritz only once in the two years intervening between his stroke and death. In fact, the guardianship paperwork submitted in 2022 stated that Fritz has “no living relatives he maintains contact with.”
Bill contends that the only reason he did not see his son more often is because his son’s guardian prevented him from visiting. He questions the motives of his son’s friends, too. “I am his only loved one,” he has told the press. “I am his only survivor. None of them are related to him. I am the only relation he has. All the others are trying to get money. They are nothing but people who worked for him.”
At this point, the public does not know what is actually in the Will or who the named beneficiaries are. The case has been sealed by an Iowa judge. What we do know for certain is that if the Will is invalidated, anything Frank may have left to his friends in the Will does not matter; his father, his closest biological relative, will get all the estate assets.
Takeaway
The key question in this case is Frank Fritz’s mental capacity when he executed his Will. It is true that someone who is incapacitated may have intervals of lucidity, during which executing a Will is possible. This may be what happened in Frank’s case. However, proving it will likely be difficult for those defending the validity of the Will.
The bottom line for our readers: Plan your estate and get your legal documents prepared and signed while your competence is not in question. People tend to put off their estate planning. Many people get around to it only when they are facing serious illness. This does a disservice to your loved ones. Remember, you can always change your documents as your life, assets and relationships change.
The attorneys of The Karp Law Firm have over 60 years of collective experience helping people plan their estates. We have seen the disruption families face when a loved one passes away and has failed to create a sound estate plan. Please call us for a free estate planning consultation at 561-625-1100.
