Photo credit: Paul Bereswill

By Regan Bartel

Rockets enforcer dealing with long COVID

‘I try to get through each day the best I can’ – Mitch Fritz

Jun 18, 2024 | 11:00 AM

Mitch Fritz has dealt with many challenges as a hockey player. 

It comes with the territory of being a 6-foot-8 behemoth on skates and playing during an era where fighting was commonplace, and the only way to earn a regular paycheck at the NHL level was to intimidate and be willing to drop your gloves at a moment’s notice. 

Now 43, the former Kelowna Rockets enforcer is tangling with an unknown combatant – who he can’t see, grab a hold of, or punch into submission. 

“It came on (COVID-19), got sick two and a half years ago and I have had a pile of different symptoms,” Fritz told RocketFAN. “I have seen specialists and doctors, trying to see everyone. It is a hard chronic illness to deal with.” 

Post-COVID-19 conditions, or long COVID affect everyone differently. Fatigue, shortness of breath, and trouble sleeping are just some of the 100 symptoms that have been reported by those who suffer from it. 

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“I have balance issues,” Fritz added. “Strength issues, being constantly tired. I have memory lapses, and light sensitivity with my vision. It is so irregular. We are so new into it, and they are finding ways to help, but it’s a very debilitating thing.” 

In Canada, about 3.5 million people have reported symptoms three months after being infected with COVID-19.  

“My life has almost turned into a Groundhog Day,” Fritz continued from his home in nearby Osoyoos. “Every day is a new day and you use the energy you have that day and get through that day.” 

Long COVID has been so consuming, Fritz is no longer working at the Oliver Penitentiary, a place of employment for six years. 

“I joke to people that I got sick when I was 40, and I went from 40 to 80 overnight.” 

Stats-Canada says about 40 per cent of long COVID sufferers who sought health care for their symptoms have had difficulties accessing it, Fritz being one of them. 

“I really never understood really what someone was going through when you have a chronic illness,” he confessed. “In a few weeks, it will be three years [dealing with it]. I just try to get through each day the best I can.”  

The first community case of COVID in Canada was reported when a woman in BC tested positive in February 2020.  

“When I first got COVID, it wasn’t enough to be hospitalized,” Fritz reflecting back to a time when most if not all of his acquaintances were dealing with the pandemic. “I had two or three days of full body pain, nausea, a real bad fever and then the onset of really weird symptoms where all of sudden I would trip and fall , or drop something; things you do a thousand times like putting your phone in your pocket where all of sudden things turn into a task. 

“I don’t know the number of times I would pick up a coffee and tip it over, or drop my cellphone, my car keys.” 

Surprisingly, during RocketFAN’s interview with the popular personality, Fritz doesn’t search for words and his cadence in speaking is clear and concise. 

“I knew we were going to be chatting, so I have to make sure I do nothing and rest for things like this,” he said honestly. “The more tired I get, the more I am grasping for words or go off topic or forget what we are talking about.” 

While dealing with health issues, Fritz is kept busy with two active daughters, one who is 12 while the other turns 11 in September. 

“One is heavily involved in volleyball,” he said with a chuckle. “She would play it every day if she could.” The other is into dance. 

“Even the hard parts are pretty awesome,” he said. “I remember having the first one, and the next one was going to be a girl as well, so I thought perfect, I went through this. This is going to be easy. Nope. Completely different girls. They are not the same and are not being brought up the same.  

“Being a girl-dad is great,” Fritz added. “I don’t know anything else.