Off The Record
As A Result Of His Ruined Engagement, ‘American Pickers’ Star Frank Fritz Is Now Under Guardianship.
Sometimes we take roads we never would have chosen because that is the way life goes. Even though Frank Fritz was a regular on people’s TV screens, he was going through a lot in his personal life.
This is the tragic account of his life…
It’s no secret that Frank Fritz had a long relationship with Diann Bankson. As a result of their acrimonious separation, he lost his job, nearly died, and became an alcoholic.
Though they are no longer together, the memories they shared will always be a part of each of their lives.
Frank Fritz, host of “American Pickers,” met Diann Bankson when he was 25 years old. The couple had an on-again, off-again relationship before finally getting engaged in 2017. In 2019, they decided to buy a farm in Iowa and set up housekeeping there.
But in November of the same year their relationship took a turn for the worse when Bankson made claims that she had “walked in” on Fritz “and caught him in bed with another woman.”
Fritz said in an interview that Bankson had cheated on him and that he had a tattoo to remind him of her “betrayal.” But he maintained his desire to wed her.
“I was going to get married, I bought a house and a big expensive ring, and then I found out my fiancée had been dating somebody else for two and half years,” Fritz said.
“She’s the cheater, that’s why I got a tattoo saying ‘Once a cheater, always a cheater,” Fritz explained, he said the reason he got the tattoo was to serve as a reminder to not make “the same mistake again.” He went on to say that he lost a lot of money because of Bankson.
He took to alcohol to help his aching heart heal. He explained that this was his way of coping with emotional pain. Due to this, he also lost a lot of weight. Fritz declared, “I tried my best.” I drank to drown her sorrows.
He opted to take a break from dating while he worked on his alcoholism because his breakup with Bankson had “stung badly enough.”
He also experienced professional setbacks after the split. The Sun reports that he stopped hosting “American Pickers” on the History Channel in March of 2020.
Fritz explained his absence was because of his health and after his back surgery had healed, he planned on making a comeback on the show.
Fritz said, “I would like to come back to the show. I’m 100 percent recovered now, and I’m ready to roll and go back on the show.”
Despite Fritz’s ten years of experience on the show, TMZ reports that there are “no intentions” to recast him in a hosting role.
His ex-lover Bankson unveiled her new man, an engineering administration manager named Eric Longlett, in addition to declining to return to his show.
She gushed about how fortunate she was to be with him in a social media post about him.
She captioned a photo of herself with Longlett with, “He took me to see Elton John’s Yellow Brick Road Farewell Tour. I’m a lucky girl. Love you, Babe oxo.”
Fritz had a stroke on July 4, 2022, and was thereafter hospitalized. After his companion found him unconscious on the floor, he made a distress call. He may be having a seizure, his pal told 911 operators, according to a recording obtained by the US Sun.
Bill Fritz, Fritz’s father, informed reporters that his son was making steady progress and was on the road to recovery.
His recuperation, while noticeable, was not as strong as his physicians had hoped. Soon after his discharge from the hospital, he was placed in a nursing home and given legal guardianship.
On August 18, 2022, a “longtime friend” reportedly applied for and received emergency appointment as guardian and conservator.
The court appointed his buddy as guardian and the bank as conservator to handle his affairs.
The bank would act as his conservator and be responsible for making sure his care facility is adequately funded, including paying for his daily needs, medical insurance, facility maintenance, and property taxes.
The financial institution would be responsible for providing him with reliable means of transportation to and from his many engagements and medical visits.
His friend, who is his guardian, has engaged “in decision-making since the stroke” and has submitted a “initial care plan” on his behalf.
His guardian would have to make choices about his living situation, where he lives now, his health and medical care, the activities in which he can take part, and his relationships with friends, family, and romantic interests. There would be an additional annual report requirement as his guardian.
His condition was deteriorating, and “without which physical injury or disease may ensue,” as stated in his legal documents.
His situation was far more serious than we had realized; official records proved that he was unable to “make, communicate, or carry out crucial decisions about his own financial affairs.”
His guardian will have to make decisions on his behalf once he is well enough to “get care for his injuries.”
So that Fritz doesn’t cause any more harm to his health, the court has decided he needs a guardian. It is imperative that a guardian and conservator be appointed to protect him from “imminent harm,” the court stated.
I can’t even begin to describe how tragic this tale is. Frank Fritz has our warmest wishes for a speedy recovery.
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