American Pickers star Mike Wolfe gets touching tribute from girlfriend on 60th birthday - after death of co-host

American Pickers star Mike Wolfe got a sweet serenade from his girlfriend Leticia Cline to celebrate his 60th birthday.

The reality star appeared in two photos showing him driving a classic car, while Leticia sat by his side.

The lighthearted post arrived just two days after Mike somberly remembered his late co-host Frank Fritz, who died on September 30 , two years after suffering a stroke that he 'never fully recovered' from.

In his girlfriend's post, Mike put an arm out of the driver-side window and showed off a steely gaze for the camera while Leticia leaned close to him and look forward through the windshield.

She also included a silly version from the photoshoot that featured Mike's face scrunched up with laughter as she put her face next to his.

He was dressed in a dark blue denim shirt and sported a rugged salt-and-pepper beard, while Leticia had on a black leather jacket.

'You will forever be my greatest adventure and the home my heart will always seek,' she gushed in her caption. 'If we measured the sunsets, trips we've taken, concerts we've seen, people's lives we've touched, animals we've helped, things we've loved then you'd be older than reality could comprehend.

'A life well lived is not measured in years, but instead by how many people measure their lives by yours and you have such a beautiful life that over flows with it,' she continued. 'I'm just happy I get a front seat for it all. Love you babe. Happiest of birthdays .'

Mike was previously married to Jodi Catherine Wolfe — with whom he shares 12-year-old daughter Charlie — but they split in 2020 and divorce in 2021, with her citing 'irreconcilable differences' as the reason for the split.

The same year, the American Pickers star went public with his romance with Leticia.

On Monday, he opened up about his former costar and close friend, Frank Fritz, and the opioid addiction he battled prior to his devastating stroke and subsequent death on September 30.

Mike — who made amends with Frank one year before his death — candidly discussed Frank's struggles with addiction during an interview with People published Monday.

Fritz had died while in a hospice facility in Iowa after failing to recover from his massive stroke.

'Here's the deal. I don't have the right to tell his story — only he does,' Wolfe said. 'But I do have, I feel, the right to tell the personal story of how myself and so many people struggled to navigate what was going on in his life.'

Mike explained that during the pandemic, both he and Frank were in the midst of 'relationships that were falling apart.'

At that time, Fritz also suffered from a back injury at his residence and soon had to undergo surgery.

Wolfe stated that having the surgery and spending a lot of time at home turned out to be the 'perfect storm.'

'He became addicted to opioids, and that's when everything changed,' Wolfe added to People.

Both Mike and Frank's loved ones helped stage an intervention for Fritz - who left American Pickers in 2021.

Wolfe remembered crossing paths with Frank one month later, and stated, 'I remember running into him...He said he was just going to handle everything on his own, and I asked him how he was doing.'

'He said, "I'm fine. I'm fine. No, I'm really fine,"' Mike said, although it was clear that his former co-star was still battling with addiction.

'Watching Frank doing some of the things that he was doing, it was really hard,' he admitted.

When filming for the reality show commenced once again, Wolfe encouraged Fritz to 'get into rehab.'

Mike said that he 'never, ever gave up' on Frank - but when he needed to provide negative drug test results, Fritz was unable to do so.

'The network just finally made the decision. They're just like, "Listen, we have to move on. We have to keep going with this." I had mixed emotions about doing that... and we were just trying to figure out what we were going to do.'

Back in 2022, Fritz claimed that he hadn't spoken to Mike in two years - shocking fans and viewers of the show.

Despite the pair - who knew each other since middle school - drifting apart, Wolfe told People that they 'never disconnected.'

'I stepped away for a little because I was watching what he was doing, but I still fought for him to go to rehab and I still had those conversation.'

He added, 'I never stepped away from him completely. That would be impossible for me to do. But I watched all of it unfold. I tried to help him as best I could, and we did speak.'

Mike described not being close to Fritz as 'losing a brother,' and added, 'that's why it was so hard to hear him say the things that he said.'

'I just wish that he didn't have to deal with all of those things in the shadows...We can tell him how much we love him, and that we support him and we're encouraging him, [but] he could just never get it back together.'

However, the two stars were able to reunite before his shock death.

Of the reunion, Wolfe expressed, 'It was beautiful. He was struggling with addiction. I know how judgmental the public can be.'

'And so that's why when we did end up speaking again, it was so easy for me to forgive him because I knew it wasn't him talking. It was his addiction talking.'

On September 30, Fritz passed away at age 60 due to the effects of a stroke he had back in 2022 - one year after his exit from American Pickers.

His death was confirmed in a Facebook post which read: 'This is a very tough announcement to make.'

'Frank passed away last night around 7:30 he was surrounded by myself, Mike Wolfe made a high speed to get back here from Nashville and other friends.'

'Please understand this is a very rough time for us. Including Mike so be kind as we are trying to figure out how to cope with this. Thank you all for your love and support through the years.'

Wolfe also confirmed Frank's passing on Instagram, and wrote, 'It's with a broken heart that I share with all of you that Frank passed away last night.'

'Who would have ever dreamed we would share the cockpit of a white cargo van in front of millions of people interested in our adventures.'

He recalled, 'Before the show we would take off together to places we never knew existed with no destination in mind and just the shared passion to discover something interesting and historic.'

'We've been on countless trips and shared so many miles and I feel blessed that I was there by his side when he took one last journey home. I love you buddy and will miss you so much I know your in a better place.'

Shortly after Frank's passing, it was revealed that both Wolfe and Fritz had made amends, according to the Quad-City Times.

A close friend told the outlet that in 2023, the pair set up a Memorial Day party where they had the chance to reunite.

'This was not a feud between Mike and Frank at all. They were not feuding. They needed separation to appreciate each other.'

The pal added at the time that Wolfe had wanted 'to see Frank for quite some time. Frank just now felt up to seeing him. It was Frank's request to see Mike.'

'They were both in tears. Both were crying. Mike brought up how nervous they both were to be going on David Letterman, which was one of their first big appearances.'

'He said, "Nobody can replace you, Frank." He said it was Frank's "uniquely funny personality" that made them fit so well together as a team,' the source added.

'They talked about old times - how things got started and the impact they had on the world. There were tears flowing on both sides.'

During his latest interview with People, Mike also recalled his final moments with Frank, and said, 'I got the call that he wasn't doing well. I just feel blessed that I was able to get there.'

'I was there for about an hour before he passed, and I was holding his hand and rubbing his chest when he took his last breath. I took my fingers and I closed his eyes.'

'I just told him that I wasn't mad at him and that I loved him and that I cared about him so much,' Wolfe expressed.

'And then when I could see that he was struggling, I just said, "Just go find your mom. Go find her right now. Just go find her."'

When Fritz took his final breaths, he was surrounded by Mike, his mother and Frank's late mother's friend, Annette.