Just a week ago, Dennis Shields was found dead in his Trump Tower apartment.
Though the ex-boyfriend of Betheny Frankel’s cause of death has yet to be officially declared in an autopsy report, we now know his final words.
And his final statement may shed a lot of light on what preceded his unfortunate passing.
TMZ reports that Dennis Shields was able to speak a few words to EMTs who arrived and attempted to save his life.
Sources say that, in those final moments, he told paramedics and police that he had taken his prescribed oxycodone and Vicodin and a sleeping pill.
His intention, he revealed at the time, was to address the pain from his back injury.
Though his assistant had already administered Narcan before emergency responders arrived, everyone’s best efforts were unable to save him.
That combo of drugs turned out to be tragically lethal.
As TMZ notes, that combination of drugs can be dangerous and even potentially deadly.
Doctors and other medical experts strongly advise against mixing opioids with sleeping pills or any type of sedative.
Taking these medications in what are individually safe amounts can become unsafe, due to interactions between the powerful medications.
Had this been a simple overdose of oxycodone, perhaps the three doses of Narcan — two from his assistant and one from EMTs — that Shields received would have been able to save him.
This is so heartbreaking.
TMZ‘s law enforcement sources report that they did find prescription pill bottles scattered throughout his house.
They did not find any ilicit substances or drug paraphernalia which might be associated with them.
If you are overdosing or experiencing another medical crisis, it is always adviseable to be honest with the people who are trying to save your life.
The “pill bottles scattered everywhere” image might seem suspicious for some, but it’s not uncommon for folks to accidentally hold on to their empty prescription bottles.
(They may cling to them as a reference, or forget that they have them, or decide that they want to remove the label for privacy before recycling them)
Earlier this week, The Real Housewives of New York City star and Skinnygirl mogul Bethenny Frankel broke her silence on Shields’ death.
Though they were not dating at the time of his passing, they have had an on-again, off-again relationship for ages.
Bethenny is mourning his passing. At his funeral, she broke down in tears.
On Instagram, she shared a throwback photo of him and her late dog, Cookie, back-to-back.
Both Shields and Cookie have since passed.
“Rest In Peace,” Bethenny captioned the image. “My sweet babies who gave me endless unconditional love.”
It is important to stress that the medical examiner’s office has yet to announce an official cause of death for Dennis Shields.
It is always possible that the dangerous combination of drugs that he took in a desperate attempt to quell his back pain were not the cause, or not the sole cause.
The medical examiner is likely waiting for the results of a toxicology report. Those can take time, especially when investigators are checking for every possibility.
We hope that Shields’ loved ones, including his four children, can find peace and closure after this tragic loss.
