What Happened to Judge Frank Caprio? A Look at His Battle With Pancreatic Cancer
"I know this is a long road and I’m fully prepared to fight as hard as I can.”
Jun. 21 2024, Published 4:00 a.m. ET
While most judges are known for ruling with an iron fist, Judge Frank Caprio has always led with compassion. The judge is best known for sharing his judicial work on the reality series Caught in Providence, which debuted in 2000. Many viral clips from his show captured the judge dismissing tickets from Providence residents who shared their emotional stories.
After more than 40 years on the bench — he became a Providence Municipal Court judge in 1985 — he retired in 2023. What happened to Judge Frank Caprio? Keep reading for the ruling on his life and health.
What Happened to Judge Frank Caprio?
Sadly, less than a year after he retired, Judge Frank Caprio announced that he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
In December 2023, Judge Frank shared the devastating news in an emotional video. He began by sharing that his birthday has always been one of the happiest days for him, as he always receives sweet messages from all over the world.
Then, he shared that his 87th birthday (in November 2023) had been different. Since he hadn't been feeling well, he'd undergone a medical examination. This tragically led to his cancer diagnosis.
He shared in his video that he was undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer at hospitals in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
“I pray that God guides their thoughts and their hands in their treatment of me,” he said. “I know this is a long road and I’m fully prepared to fight as hard as I can.”
Judge Frank Caprio asked for fans to keep his health in their prayers.
“I would ask that, each of you in your own way, to please pray for me,” Caprio said. “I am in need of the power of prayer, which I believe in addition to the medical treatment that I am receiving is the most powerful weapon to help me survive this.”
“Just knowing that you are keeping me in your thoughts means the world to me,” he continued. “Thank you for all your past messages. Thank you for your loving support. And please remember, just a small prayer. I’d really appreciate it.”
Months after sharing his cancer diagnosis, Caprio provided fans with an update on his cancer battle.
"I don’t know what the future holds,” Frank told Despierta America in a March 2024 video interview. “So I tell you, enjoy every minute of your life.”
“Sometimes in life, we take things for granted,” Caprio said. “We have a nice life … That’s wonderful, as long as it lasts.”
“But you never know from one day to the next what life will bring,” he continued.
“And so, enjoy what you have,” Frank concluded. “Be kind to people. Take care of your families.”
In February 2024, he was inducted into the Providence Martin Luther King Jr. Hall of Fame.
And in May 2024, he announced that he completed his final radiation treatment for pancreatic cancer. He also has plans to release a book.