Frank Cozzolino, beloved electrician who appeared on HGTV’s Holmes on Homes and Holmes Family Rescue, has passed away at 56 after a courageous battle with liver disease and lymphoma.
His daughter Filomena confirmed his death on December 4, 2025, sharing heartbreaking details about her father’s final months.
Cozzolino’s story touched viewers nationwide when he opened up about his health struggles on television, becoming an advocate for organ donation after receiving not one, but two liver transplants.
His journey reminds us how precious life is—and how organ donation can give someone years they otherwise wouldn’t have.
A Fighter Until The End
Filomena’s Instagram tribute painted a picture of a man who refused to surrender, even when medical odds were stacked against him.
My dad is loved by many. A man full of passion, empathy, brutal honesty, and integrity; he fought through the struggles of organ disease and was granted a second chance at life in 2017 through the gift of organ donation.
That “second chance” came after Cozzolino received his first liver transplant in 2017. For years, he thrived, making lifestyle changes and even purchasing a home that needed renovations—a project that would eventually bring him to HGTV screens.
But in 2025, devastating news arrived: his liver disease had returned.
The Second Transplant And Complications That Followed
Cozzolino underwent a second liver transplant in July 2025. While many patients face challenges after such major surgery, Cozzolino encountered multiple post-operation complications—each one a new battle to overcome.
According to Filomena, her father conquered each obstacle with remarkable determination. Then came another blow: a lymphoma diagnosis.
Ever the fighter, he never gave up. He deliberated and decided that he would push through; he’d beaten the odds up to this point, he thought ‘the world isn’t getting rid of me this easily.’
That fighting spirit defined Cozzolino’s entire journey. Even when lymphoma threatened to end his hard-won second chance at life, he pushed forward with unwavering resolve.
From Diagnosis To Television: Cozzolino’s Health Journey
Viewers first met Cozzolino through his work as an electrician on Holmes on Homes. But it was his appearance on Holmes Family Rescue Season 1 in 2022 that revealed his deeply personal health struggles.
In those episodes, Cozzolino didn’t shy away from vulnerability. He shared his diagnosis story openly, hoping to help others facing similar challenges.
About 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with a very rare liver disease. I was basically told I had five years left on this liver. You need a liver or you’re going to die. It was like a truck had hit me.
Imagine receiving news that your body has an expiration date. Cozzolino faced that reality head-on, creating what he called an “exit plan”—downsizing his electrical company and selling his home.
The Gift That Changed Everything
Then something miraculous happened: Cozzolino received word about a matching donor. Someone’s selfless decision to be an organ donor gave him years he thought were impossible.
Here I am in ICU and accepting that reality that I lived.
That moment—waking up in intensive care with a functioning liver—represented more than medical success. It symbolized hope, generosity, and life continuing against all odds.
Cozzolino used his extended years wisely. He purchased a home, spent precious time with daughters Alexandria and Filomena, and shared his story publicly to raise awareness about organ donation.
Daughters’ Love Brought Holmes Family Rescue
Alexandria and Filomena’s call to Mike Holmes for help with their father’s home renovations wasn’t just about construction—it was about giving their recovering father comfort and safety.
While Cozzolino recovered from his first transplant surgery, his daughters wanted to ensure his new home was renovated properly. They knew their father had spent his career ensuring others had safe, well-built homes. Now it was his turn.
That family love shone through every episode. Viewers watched not just a renovation, but a family rallying around a man who had stared down death and won—at least temporarily.
The Brutal Reality Of Recurrence
Liver disease recurrence after transplant isn’t common, but it happens. For Cozzolino, hearing in 2025 that his rare disease had returned must have felt like cruel déjà vu.
He’d already faced one “exit plan,” one terrifying wait for a donor, one major surgery. Now he’d have to do it all again.
The July 2025 transplant gave him hope once more. But complications arose—medical challenges that would have broken lesser spirits. Cozzolino fought through each one with characteristic determination.
When lymphoma entered the picture, even his medical team wondered how much one body could endure. But Cozzolino wasn’t ready to quit.
Although he lost his battle in the late evening of December 4, 2025, my dad pushed the boundaries of what many of his medical team, friends, and family thought possible.
A Daughter’s Final Goodbye
Filomena’s tribute captured what medical records never could: her father’s heart, strength, and unbreakable spirit.
Daddy, you put up one hell of a fight. You are the strongest person I know, and I am grateful for the years we got to spend together on Earth. Now your battle is over and you can rest. We’ll all see you again.
Those “extra years” Cozzolino gained from his 2017 transplant weren’t just time—they were moments with daughters, sunrises he thought he’d miss, conversations that might never have happened.
Organ donation gave Filomena and Alexandria more birthdays with their dad, more advice, more laughter, more love.
Why Cozzolino’s Story Matters
Frank Cozzolino’s legacy extends far beyond electrical work or television appearances. His willingness to share his health journey publicly brought attention to several critical issues:
- Organ donation saves lives – Cozzolino lived years beyond his prognosis because someone checked that donor box
- Rare diseases need awareness – His openness about rare liver disease helped others feel less alone
- Transplant recipients can thrive – He didn’t just survive; he bought a home, worked, and lived fully
- Fighting spirit matters – Even when faced with recurrence and complications, attitude makes a difference
- Family support is everything – His daughters’ love sustained him through impossible challenges
According to the Health Resources & Services Administration, over 103,000 people currently wait for organ transplants in America. Every day, 17 people die waiting.
Cozzolino’s story reminds us that behind those statistics are real people—electricians, parents, neighbors—who simply need what most of us take for granted: properly functioning organs.
His public battle also normalized conversations about transplant life. Recovery isn’t always smooth. Diseases can return. Complications happen. But those extra years, months, or even days matter immeasurably to families.
Honoring His Memory
Frank Cozzolino described himself as full of “passion, empathy, brutal honesty, and integrity”—traits evident in every interview and episode.
He didn’t sugarcoat his health journey. He shared the fear, the waiting, the relief of receiving a donor organ, and ultimately the heartbreak of recurrence.
That brutal honesty helped countless viewers understand what transplant patients experience. It demystified organ donation and showed the human side of medical miracles.
As fans and colleagues mourn his passing, many are choosing to honor Cozzolino by registering as organ donors themselves—perhaps the most fitting tribute to a man who gained precious extra years through someone else’s generosity.
Frank Cozzolino fought until he had nothing left to give. He squeezed every drop of life from the years organ donation granted him. And he shared his journey so others might benefit.
Rest well, Frank. Your battle is finally over.