Real Housewives of New York City star Bethenny Frankel took to Twitter Sunday to share how she has been coping with the death of her boyfriend, Dennis Shields.
“Doing anything in or by the water is life saving,” Frankel, 47, tweeted. “Beach walks. ocean swims, wakeboarding, clamming, infrared sauna, jacuzzi & my swim really help. When you feel sad, you cry then you just have to force yourself to shift. It’s so hard but it works.”
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Doing anything in or by the water is life saving. Beach walks. ocean swims, wakeboarding, clamming, infrared sauna, jacuzzi & my swim really help. When you feel sad, you cry then you just have to force yourself to shift. It’s so hard but it works.
— Bethenny Frankel (@Bethenny) September 2, 2018
One fan later replied to Frankel with a quote about the benefits of walks on the beach.
“Sea air is charged with healthy negative ions that accelerate our ability to absorb oxygen. Negative ions also balance levels of seratonin, a body chemical linked with mood and stress,” the quote read.
“Exactly. I have had trouble breathing and I actually need it. Xo,” Frankel replied.
Exactly. I have had trouble breathing and I actually need it. Xo //t.co/d0r1LZejJZ
— Bethenny Frankel (@Bethenny) September 2, 2018
Shields, 51, was found dead in his Trump Tower apartment on Aug. 10. He reportedly died after an overdose of prescription medication. However, the New York City Chief Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson told The Blast that Shields’ death was ruled “undetermined.” Sampson said an autopsy was not conducted “due to a religious objection.”
Frankel and Shields were close friends for almost three decades and began dating on and off in 2016, after her divorce. Shields was estranged from his wife, Jill Shields, who was a high school friend of Frankel.
The Skinnygirl founder attended Shields’ funeral and later paid tribute to Shields with an Instagram message on Aug. 13. “Rest In Peace my sweet babies who gave me endless unconditional love,” Frankel wrote, alongside a picture of Shields with her dog, Cookie, who died in October 2017.
On Aug. 26, Frankel told fans she was still in pain after Shields’ death.
“It’s hard to breathe & I appreciate you giving me the space & support to try to do so. It’s excruciating-sudden death is no closure & constant ?s & memories,” she tweeted. “Our relationship is current so it’s painfully raw. Trying to stay healthy & move through it w tears & close friends. Xo.”
“This really sucks,” Frankel added on Aug. 31.
This really sucks…
— Bethenny Frankel (@Bethenny) September 1, 2018
Days before Shields’ death, Frankel explained the nature of her relationship with Shields.
“I’ve been with someone on and off for years,” Frankel told Harvey. “It’s like a partnership where if we’re not being teammates and it’s not working and one man is down, then the other man is down. We’re trying to really kind of be good partners and be good teammates and I think relationships oddly are — and this sounds cold — but a little bit like business.”
After news of Shields’ death broke, his wife Jill said their family was “heartbroken.”
“Dennis was, and will always be, the love of my life,” Jill Shields told PEOPLE. “His spirit lives on in our children. Please respect our family’s privacy at this time.”
The Real Housewives of New York City airs on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.
Photo credit: Robert Kamau/GC Images/Getty Images
