‘Real’ remembrance
In Nantucket, Frankel marks year since ex Shields’ death
“Real Housewives of New York City” star Bethenny Frankel just pressed pause on her Nantucket vacation to pen an emotional tribute to her ex Dennis Shields, honoring him a year after his sudden passing.
“One year ago today, I woke up to a beautiful sunny day with (my dogs, Biggy and Smallz) by the pool, and my world crumbled and turned upside down in an instant,” Frankel wrote. “A man Dennis, who I loved and respected, who was in my life for 30 years unexpectedly passed away.”
Frankel, who also shared a photo of Shields snuggling Biggy and Smallz, went on to detail the significant bond between her late partner and her two rescue dogs, giving him all the credit for ensuring both pooches were a part of her life and for giving them the names the dynamic duo deserves. “He loved these dogs and the feelings were mutual,” she wrote, adding, “At times, it seemed like he and they spoke the same language and they were the only ones who understood him.”
Shields was found dead in his Trump Tower apartment allegedly of a suspected overdose last summer. He and Frankel, who had first met decades ago, started dating off and on in 2016. During this past season of Bravo’s RHONY, Frankel revealed that she and Shields had gotten engaged the April prior to his passing, with him presenting both her and her daughter, Bryn, with a ring.
“He was a loving, sweet, gentle, brilliant, complicated, hilarious, creative and supportive man,” Frankel shared in her recent Instagram post. “He is missed terribly by so many but lives on in his friends and family and furry loved ones.”
The reality star has been open about the trials and tribulations of grieving, while also moving on with her life. In December, she went public with her relationship with Boston businessman Paul Bernon, with whom she’s been spending the summer and soaking up the sun in NYC, the Hamptons, Nantucket and even Italy.
“I am a different person and in a different emotional place than I was a year ago, and the wounds have begun to heal but the scar will remain (in) my heart forever,” Frankel wrote. “RIP, August 10. #Unforgettable.”