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Eric Von Frohlich, co-founder of Row House and founder of EVF Performance CrossFit Upper East Side, died last week at age 60, according to Athletech News. Tributes from colleagues and friends recalled his influence on boutique fitness and rowing, his coaching, and his work with the Parkinson’s community.
Eric Von Frohlich, the New York fitness entrepreneur and coach who co-founded Row House and founded EVF Performance CrossFit Upper East Side, died last week at age 60, Athletech News reported. Colleagues and friends are remembering his role in expanding boutique rowing and CrossFit, as well as his coaching and advocacy for people living with Parkinson’s disease.
Frohlich co-founded Row House in 2014 with his wife, Debra Strougo. Athletech News said he helped establish rowing as a nationwide boutique fitness offering, bringing the exercise into group classes for people who might previously have found it intimidating. He also founded EVF Performance CrossFit Upper East Side, where his approach to training and coaching became part of his reputation in New York’s fitness community.
Frohlich and Strougo also established Fitizens Holdings, a firm that advised and invested in health, fitness and wellness companies, according to Athletech News. After receiving a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, Frohlich became involved in advocacy, joining the board of Rock Steady Boxing. The source said he used his industry experience and public platform to support the Parkinson’s community and share information related to care.
Athletech News gathered tributes from emails, texts and public social media posts. They came from people who knew Frohlich through business, fitness and personal relationships. The publication said some of the tributes were lightly edited for clarity and length. The accounts describe his impact, but they are personal recollections rather than independent measures of his influence.
A Lasting Mark on Boutique Fitness
Frohlich’s death has drawn attention to the people behind the growth of group fitness businesses and the coaching relationships that help sustain them. Row House took rowing—an activity often associated with individual training or competitive sport—and built it into a class-based studio format. The source credits Frohlich with helping that model reach a wider audience, though it does not quantify the company’s reach or his individual contribution to the broader market.
The tributes also point to a second part of his legacy: using his professional standing after a Parkinson’s diagnosis to take part in advocacy. Ryan Cotton, who said Frohlich was invited onto the Rock Steady Boxing board because of his diagnosis and fitness expertise, recalled his ability to discuss the disease with realism and optimism. His involvement connected his experience as a coach and fitness business leader with an organization serving people with Parkinson’s.
For readers in the fitness industry, the response illustrates how a leader’s influence may extend beyond a company or training method. Former colleagues emphasized his personal support, humor and attention to others alongside his business work. Those perspectives help explain why news of his death resonated across professional and personal circles.
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From CrossFit to Row House
Frohlich was a prominent figure in New York’s boutique fitness scene, according to Athletech News. His work included CrossFit coaching, studio entrepreneurship and investment in wellness companies. The outlet describes his coaching as demanding and thoughtful, and says he encouraged people from varied backgrounds to take part in fitness.
In 2014, he and Strougo co-founded Row House. The venture focused on instructor-led group rowing classes, a format that extended the exercise beyond its familiar competitive and individual settings. Athletech News identifies Frohlich as a key figure in that development, but the provided report does not give details on the company’s size, ownership or current operations.
He later served on the board of Rock Steady Boxing, which works with the Parkinson’s community. The report says his own diagnosis prompted the invitation and informed his advocacy, while his fitness experience brought relevant professional knowledge to the role.
“You couldn’t know Eric and not feel like you were in the presence of a leader in everything he did.”
— Richard Boyd, in a tribute published by Athletech News
Details the Report Does Not Provide
The available report says Frohlich died “last week” but does not give a specific date, cause of death or location. It also does not provide details about memorial services or funeral arrangements. Those details should not be inferred from his Parkinson’s diagnosis; the source does not say that the disease caused his death.
The account does not outline what will happen to Row House, Fitizens Holdings or EVF Performance CrossFit Upper East Side following his death. It also does not provide a full account of Rock Steady Boxing’s current board structure or any planned changes to Frohlich’s role. The tributes offer personal assessments of his character and influence, not a complete record of his business or advocacy work.
Family and Organizations’ Next Steps
Athletech News did not report a public memorial date, funeral arrangements or statements from the family about future plans. Frohlich is survived by his wife, Debra, and their children, Magnus, Carter and Bella, along with other relatives, according to the report. The publication also named his dog and two cats among those he leaves behind.
Any updates on services or the future of his companies and board involvement will need to come from the family or the organizations. Until then, the published tributes provide the clearest available account of how colleagues and friends remember his work and personal influence.
Key Questions
Who was Eric Von Frohlich?
He was a New York fitness entrepreneur and coach who co-founded Row House, founded EVF Performance CrossFit Upper East Side and co-founded Fitizens Holdings with his wife, Debra Strougo.
How old was Eric Von Frohlich when he died?
Athletech News reported that Frohlich was 60. Its report described his death as occurring “last week” but did not specify a date.
What was his connection to Parkinson’s advocacy?
After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Frohlich served on the board of Rock Steady Boxing and used his platform to support the Parkinson’s community, according to Athletech News.
What details about his death remain unknown?
The report does not state the cause or location of death, give a precise date, or announce memorial arrangements. It does not link his death to Parkinson’s disease.
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