Gone, but never forgotten. Real Housewives of New York City star Bethenny Frankel took to Instagram on Saturday, August 10, to share a very heartfelt tribute to her late on-again, off-again boyfriend Dennis Shields on the one-year anniversary of his death. The reality star shared a very sweet memory that she shared with Dennis shortly before his passing.

“One year ago today, I woke up to a beautiful sunny day with @biggysmallz by the pool, and my world crumbled and turned upside down in an instant. A man Dennis, who I loved and respected, who was in my life for 30 years unexpectedly passed away,” Bethenny, 48, captioned a photo of Dennis with her two small dogs, Biggy and Smallz.

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One year ago today, I woke up to a beautiful sunny day with @biggysmallz by the pool, and my world crumbled and turned upside down in an instant. A man Dennis, who I loved and respected, who was in my life for 30 years unexpectedly passed away. Dennis insisted we adopt biggy AND smallz for my daughter Peanut. He simply couldn’t imagine separating them. We racked our brains staying up late coming up with the perfect name for two dogs from the same litter with very different body types. Thing 1 & Thing 2 was an option but Peanut found it degrading. Lenny & Squiggy was a good one but I knew it would only appeal to the over 40 set. Then at 5am, Dennis was waiting for me to wake up and in his stronger than Tequila New Yawk accent said “BIGGY AND SMALLZ” and two stars were born. He loved these dogs and the feelings were mutual. They were particularly fond of his salty bald head. At times, it seemed like he and they spoke the same language and they were the only ones who understood him. He was a loving, sweet, gentle, brilliant, complicated, hilarious, creative and supportive man. He is missed terribly by so many but lives on in his friends and family and furry loved ones. 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 on my heart forever. RIP, August 10. #Unforgettable

A post shared by Bethenny Frankel (@bethennyfrankel) on

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She went on to share the sweet story about how Dennis played a big role in her adoption of the two pups and revealed that he was the one who came up with their cute names.

“Dennis insisted we adopt Biggy AND Smallz for my daughter, Peanut. He simply couldn’t imagine separating them,” the SkinnyGirl mogul continued. “We racked our brains staying up late coming up with the perfect name for two dogs from the same litter with very different body types. Thing 1 & Thing 2 was an option but Peanut found it degrading. Lenny & Squiggy was a good one but I knew it would only appeal to the over-40 set. Then at 5 a.m., Dennis was waiting for me to wake up and in his stronger than Tequila New Yawk accent said, ‘BIGGY AND SMALLZ,’ and two stars were born. He loved these dogs and the feelings were mutual. They were particularly fond of his salty bald head.”

Bethenny then explained Dennis’ sweet bond with her dogs. “At times, it seemed like he and they spoke the same language and they were the only ones who understood him. He was a loving, sweet, gentle, brilliant, complicated, hilarious, creative and supportive man. He is missed terribly by so many but lives on in his friends and family and furry loved ones,” she wrote. “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 on my heart forever. RIP, August 10. #Unforgettable.”

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