Rick Harrison's Family Confirms Whether Pawn Stars Will Address Adam's Death

The following story contains mentions of substance abuse.

The death of "Pawn Stars" frontman Rick Harrison's son Adam at the age of 39 from a fentanyl overdose has cast a shadow on the popular reality show. However, viewers who might expect "Pawn Stars" to address the situation will be waiting in vain since the family has confirmed that the show will not contain mentions of the death. Instead, the Harrison family intends to handle the show in the usual fashion and deal with the situation privately.

This is in line with the comments the family gave to TMZ when news of the death broke. "Our family is extremely saddened by the death of Adam," it read. "We ask for privacy as we grieve his loss." Apart from the family's desire to keep the situation away from the spotlight, keeping the death out of the History show is presumably easier because unlike Richard "The Old Man" Harrison, who passed away in 2018, Adam was never a "Pawn Stars" cast member. 

The family's wish to keep the death of Adam Harrison out of the spotlight doesn't mean the tragedy hasn't been addressed publicly in any way. Rick Harrison has paid tributes to his dearly departed son on his Instagram account. "You will always be in my heart! I love you Adam," it read, complete with a broken heart emoji. 

Likewise, Corey Harrison has also posted his own tribute on Instagram, sharing an image of the pair as young boys. The family has also shared a handful of statements through a representative and announced that they'll establish an education fund in Adam's memory. 

While "Pawn Stars" has been known to take sneak peeks into its stars' lives, these have often been comedic looks at the various projects they undertake whenever they aren't dealing with the pawnshop customers. As such, it's no surprise that the show wishes to avoid addressing off-screen tragedies — and the fact that the Harrisons have specifically wished for privacy in this matter is more than enough reason to double down on this decision. 

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).