Dennis Shields, Bethenny Frankel’s On/Off Boyfriend, Found Dead, Cause Of Death Is Apparent Overdose

Dennis Shields, the on-again, off-again boyfriend of Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel, was found dead in Trump Tower, according to TMZ.

Shields, 51, was found dead this morning in his apartment by his assistant who tried to administer Narcan for an opiate overdose but he was unsuccessful. TMZ sources say that the cause of death is thought to be an Oxycodone overdose.

RHONY star Frankel and Shields had known each other for 30 years but didn’t start dating until after their respective divorces in 2016. The two have been hot and cold ever since.

The New York Post reported that Shields’ assistant found his boss unconscious at 9 a.m. and called 911 while using Narcan in an attempt to revive the business mogul.

Shields had recently spoken to tv host Steve Harvey to say that his relationship with Frankel was sometimes difficult.

“I’ve been with someone on and off for years,” she said. “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.”

RIP Dennis ? #rhony https://t.co/p9F6uNHYkS

— Taste of Reality (@TasteOf_Reality) August 10, 2018

Bethenny Frankel has been active in the news lately and on social media as she comments regularly on episodes of RHONY and the recent cast shake-ups. Frankel did not comment on her love life, but she told stories of the bad old days when she had credit card debt and she was just holding on. She added that now that she has her Skinnygirl empire (of which she sold the licensing rights in 2011), she is finally solvent, but the same can’t be said for some of the other Housewives.

“They can’t afford the lives they’re living. And if the music stops, they’re going to get in some trouble.”

Frankel explained that if there was an emergency, she could pay off any outstanding debt and still be okay.

“You can’t put yourself in a position where, if the s–t hit the fan, you couldn’t pay all of your bills at one time. If the world came to an end, I would be able to pay for everything. I might not be left with much, but I can afford what I have.”

Dennis Shields attended a Hamptons party with Frankel this season on RHONY and mingled with Dorinda and John.