It’s with a heavy heart that I report that Frank Alexander has passed away. Tupac fans will know Frank as ‘Pac’s bodyguard and friend, who was on duty that fateful night in 1996.

I’ve spoken to Frank a number of times over the years back when I was working on HitEmUp.com. He produced fan favorite documentaries Tupac: Before I Wake (2001) and Tupac: Assassination (2009), as well as writing Got Your Back (1998), about his time’s with ‘Pac. Through spending so much time with Tupac as his only bodyguard, he often became a voice in regards to speculation surrounding Tupac’s plans just before his death and was sought out by fans and media to clarify things and recount Tupac’s murder. When I spoke with him as a kid he was always happy to share stories and memories, and as a fan, that was always appreciated. No matter how silly in retrospect the question may have been, Frank, knowing what it meant to a young fan, would do his best to answer it. I think it was Frank who told me ‘Pac’s favorite drink was Orange Soda. Before the world of social media and knowing everything about everyone, that kind of information to a little kid was just mind blowing.

Prior to becoming a bodygaurd, Frank served in the US Marines for 11 years, and was a champion amateur Bodybuilder. In recent years he had retired to his ranch and was raising horses, and sadly, we lost contact.

While he was not responsible for Tupac’s death, as his bodygaurd, it is not something he ever got over.

From what I’ve been told, and it isn’t confirmed, he died from a single self inflicted gun shot wound to the head. If that’s true, I’m deeply saddened. Frank never struck me as depressed, although, I would say he was always heavy, there was a weight behind the things he said, and you could tell there was a sense of responsibility behind everything. I think that is why Frank Alexander did his best to give back as much as he could to the Tupac fans, and for that, I am sure every single one of them is thankful.

We’ll miss you.

REST IN PEACE BIG FRANK.