Dennis Shields Proposed to Bethenny Frankel Months Before His Sudden Death

Dennis Shields was planning a future with Bethenny Frankel months before his death. 

A source tells ET that the financier proposed to Frankel in April. “She wanted to marry him, but there was some things that needed to be worked out first and some hurdles to overcome,” the source says. "He was her family, her best friend, her partner.”

Shields, 51, and Frankel, 47, dated on and off for a couple of years before he was found dead on Friday. The NYPD told ET at the time that units responded to a 911 call at Trump Tower in New York City at 9:19 a.m. Once inside, a 51-year-old male was discovered unconscious and unresponsive. EMS pronounced him deceased on the scene. Cause of death has yet to be determined and the investigation is ongoing.

Frankel posted a sweet tribute to Shields on Instagram on Monday, the day of his funeral in Long Island, New York. "Rest In Peace my sweet babies who gave me endless unconditional love. #nowandforever," Frankel captioned a snap of Shields lying in bed with her dog, Cookie, who died in October 2017. 

The Real Housewives of New York City star previously opened up to ET about her relationship with Shields. See more in the video below. 

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