‘I Love You, Dennis’: Bethenny Reads Love Letter She Wrote Shields After His OD Death
March 7 2019, Updated 7:05 p.m. ET
Time is helping Bethenny Frankel heal after the sudden death of her on-and-off boyfriend Dennis Shields. But on the premiere of The Real Housewives of New York City, the star broke down in tears speaking about his unexpected passing.
“Dennis passed away three weeks ago in his apartment,” Frankel, 48 said on the latest season 11 episode, which aired this Wednesday, March 6. “Tyler, his daughter, called me hysterically crying and she said, ‘My dad died this morning,’ and I started screaming into the phone.”
In the clip, Frankel is seen talking to pals in her kitchen while scrolling through text messages she and daughter Bryn sent to Shields after his death.
“Like, I just wrote him a letter which was like, ‘I love you, Dennis, and I always will. You’re the most loving, beautiful man in the whole world, and I’m sorry you’re in so much pain. Now you can really sleep,” she said.
Frankel sobbed and grew increasingly emotional as she explained to her friends that her daughter texted him too, and even asked her if she thought he’d received her message.
“Yesterday morning she goes ‘Do you think Dennis got my text?’” said Frankel.
RadarOnline.com readers know Frankel has been open about her grieving process ever since Shields died of an apparent overdose in his New York City apartment in August 2018. He was 51. Shortly after his passing, she attended his funeral with the rest of the RHONY cast, and even opened up about her heartbreak on the show.
A close friend of Shields exclusively told RadarOnline.com his pals were “furious” Frankel decided to use his death as a storyline on her hit reality series.
In the premiere, however, Frankel continued speaking of her late love’s passing.
“You know, someone told me that he fell the day before on a boat and then did he take something ’cause he was in pain? But it doesn’t matter. He’s dead,” she said in her confessional.
Crying uncontrollably, Frankel explained that the two were planning on getting married, but none of that is important anymore because he is no longer here.
“He wrote me 50 texts,” Frankel said. “He wanted to marry me. I have a ring on my finger. He’s dead. It doesn’t matter. He’s gone,” she said.
RadarOnline.com readers know Frankel has found love again after Dennis’ death, and is now going strong with Paul Bernon. Her troubles are far from over, however, as she is still fighting a bitter custody battle with ex-husband Jason Hoppy.
The Real Housewives of New York City airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on Bravo.
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