Welsh businessman Dan Swygart sparked a friendship with TLC star Shauna Rae after being inspired by her message of strength and perseverance on Instagram. He explained on "The Sarah Fraser Show" that the pair mainly bonded over the phone, but that didn't stop the internet from condemning him as a creep and harassing his family and colleagues. "[There was] this big, huge amount of hate, and I felt like the world was crushing me," he recalled.
However, the relationship didn't just impact Swygart's life. It also deeply affected Rae, who was reduced to her physical appearance as a result of her rare growth hormone deficiency. After Swygart and Rae decided to continue their relationship as platonic friends, Rae decided to keep her future partners shielded from experiencing the same intense scrutiny. In December 2023, Rae posted a photoset on Instagram of her and a new boo but kept their face covered with emojis and used gender-neutral pronouns.
"All you really need to know is they make me happy, and I don't know if I'd be as far in my goals without them," Rae wrote in her caption. "Please know that all I ask from y'all is to support me and refrain from being hateful toward them or my relationship. Any hate towards my partner is hate towards me, and I don't tolerate that."
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEpaCsrF6YvK57kG1vbmhoa3ypu9ZmqqGZpaOubr7AnmSapKSav6awjJ2YraGenHqivM%2BrppqbmGKup8DEq2SesF8%3D