Mike Wolfe, the star of the History Channel's "American Pickers," is experiencing profound grief following the loss of his dog, Francie Joe, nearly five months after his mother's passing. Wolfe announced the tragic accident on Instagram on Wednesday, revealing that he lost his canine companion, whom he adopted in 2020.
"In a tragic accident – one I feel very much responsible for – I lost my Francie Joe," Wolfe wrote in a devastating post. "My heart is shattered in a thousand pieces. I never got to say good bye or comfort her when she needed me most."
He reflected on his time with Francie Joe, noting their travels across the country together. "Her big brown eyes loving so many hearts and spreading so much joy," he stated. "She was family. She was everything I ever dreamed of in a dog. And now she’s gone, pulled from this world too soon."
Wolfe's mother, Rita, died in February after a four-month battle with cancer. He had previously spoken about how "American Pickers" brought him and his mother closer, recalling how she gave him her garage at age five to store his burgeoning collection of items. "She didn't park her car in the garage anymore. She gave it to me to put all my stuff in there and was encouraging me to bring things home still," he recalled.
Wolfe, 62, credits his mother as his number one supporter and instrumental in his career. She sometimes traveled with him during filming and accompanied him on talk show appearances.
"American Pickers," which premiered in 2010, features Wolfe and co-host Frank Fritz traveling the country to find and acquire rare antiques and historical artifacts. Following Fritz's death in September 2024, Wolfe has continued the show with his brother Robert Wolfe and Danielle Colby.
Wolfe concluded his post about Francie Joe with a message of resilience: "I’ve realized that I can’t. all I can do is remember what she taught me and live my life the way she would be proud of me."