‘American Pickers’ Frank Fritz put under guardianship – things started going downhill after bad engagement

Sometimes life takes us on journeys we never imagined. Although he was a well-known television fixture, Frank Fritz was going through a lot personally.

Longtime partner of Frank Fritz was Diann Bankson. His tumultuous split from her resulted in alcoholism, unemployment, and even a health risk. Even though they are no longer together, their time spent together has left a lasting impression on both of them.

This is his tragic tale…

The pair dated intermittently and got engaged in 2017. They purchased an Iowa farmhouse and moved in together a year later, in 2018.

However, their relationship deteriorated in November of the same year after Bankson claimed to have “walked in” on Fritz and “found him in bed with another woman.”

In a conversation, Fritz disclosed that Bankson had betrayed him and had even gotten a tattoo to remind him of it. But he said that he still desired 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 further added that Bankson had “cost” him a lot of money.

He started drinking as a way to heal his shattered heart. He claimed that’s how he handled his breakup. He also lost a lot of weight as a result of this. “I gave it a good shot. I tried to drink her away.”

He made the decision to put off dating for a while while he kicked his drinking habit because his previous relationship with Bankson had “stung badly enough.”

He also experienced losses at work after the separation. The Sun claims that after March 2020, he stopped serving as the host of “American Pickers” on the History Channel.

Fritz claimed that his absence was due to health issues and that he intended to return to the show after his back surgery had healed.  “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.”

Fritz claimed that there had been no clear decision made by the show regarding his return. But he did mention that a showrunner had contacted and promised to bring him back.

Despite having worked on the show for ten years, there are “no intentions” to hire Fritz as a host once more.

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 at the Elton John concert with,  “He took me to see Elton John’s Yellow Brick Road Farewell Tour. I’m a lucky girl. Love you, Babe oxo.”

Fritz was sent to the hospital on July 4, 2022, due to a stroke. He was found by his friend on the floor of his house, who then dialed for assistance. The 911 call on which his companion stated that “he might be having a seizure.

His rehabilitation did not go as well as the doctors had hoped, though. After being discharged from the hospital, he was placed under guardianship and sent to a nursing home.

According to rumors, on August 18, 2022, his “longtime friend” requested and received approval for an emergency appointment for temporary guardianship and conservatorship on his behalf.

His acquaintance was named as his guardian, and the bank was given the responsibility of managing his finances as his conservator.

As his conservator, the bank would be in charge of making all payments to his care facility, including those for daily costs, health insurance, maintenance, and property taxes. He would need access to suitable transportation for activities and doctor’s visits, which the bank would have to make sure of.

In order to be his guardian, his friend had to submit a “initial care plan” for him, and he has participated “in decision-making since the stroke.”

To do this, his guardian would need to make decisions about his living situation, place of residence, health, and healthcare requirements; encourage participation in any activities; and maintain communication with family members and potential romantic interests. He would also be obligated to provide an annual report as his guardian.

According to his papers, his condition was worsening and hampered his ability to make sound decisions for himself “without which physical injury or illness may occur.”

His condition was much worse than previously thought as documents showed that he could not “make, communicate, or carry out important decisions concerning his own financial affairs.”

His guardian must make choices on his behalf until he is well enough to “get treatment for his injuries” and is able to do so.

The court determined Fritz needs a guardian in order to prevent future health impairment. The court determined that “Appointment of a guardian and conservator is necessary to avoid immediate harm to him,”

This tale is really heartbreaking. We send Frank Fritz our best wishes for health and recovery.

Share this with your friends and family so they can know what happened to their favorite television show host and can also say a prayer for his health.