Man Defends Relationship with TLC Star ‘Trapped in Physique of 8-12 months-Outdated’ Lady

And now, he is talking out about among the backlash and criticism he is acquired since showing on the present.

Dan Swygart, 27, appeared in quite a few episodes of the present’s second season, which wrapped up on TLC earlier this month. On the present, the 2 stated they met on social media, with Dan truly messaging each Shauna and one among her sisters, earlier than sending Shauna flowers and protecting their conversations going. As he stored coming from the UK to go to her in Lengthy Island, the 2 received nearer — and whereas she stated the pair kissed, they by no means put a label on issues.

Per TLC, the fact sequence follows Shauna as she “strives to have the independence of an grownup whereas trapped within the physique of an 8-year-old.” Within the feedback of his posts all through the season, some viewers had questioned Dan’s motives when it got here to Rae.

On Sunday, Swygart posted a Reel to Instagram wherein he defended their relationship — additionally calling it each a “friendship” and “connection.”

“Me and Shauna are nonetheless simply good associates attending to know one another. However I believe it is completely disgusting the perspective of some folks. She’s been by a lot in life. She survived most cancers as a toddler, she’s all the time felt totally different and been handled totally different by society. However how dare you are taking away her proper, her human proper, to have a connection, a friendship, a relationship with another person?” he started.

“Who’re you to say that she will be able to’t have that? I’m completely disgusted by some folks’s attitudes in the direction of her and my friendship together with her,” he continued. “I can not consider some individuals who deny her the appropriate to have a friendship or reference to another person. She is a human being, she is a most cancers survivor, she’s received incapacity, she had dwarfism. Who’re you to remove her proper to have a friendship and reference to somebody? How dare you? How dare you?”

He added that he did obtain constructive messages as properly, from those that thanked him for “showcasing that it is okay to construct a connection or friendship with somebody who’s totally different by society requirements.”

When his first appearances on the present began to air in November and December of 2022, Swygart shared one other Reel wherein he defined that he first reached out to Rae as a result of he was “actually impressed by her emotional energy.”

“She’s this unimaginable, inspiring 23 yr previous lady who simply occurs to be just a little bit brief,” he stated on Instagram on the time. “As quickly as you say she will be able to’t have an actual world reference to another person, you dehumanize her, which is completely disgusting.”

“She is a human being, she deserves to have relationships and connections with whoever she desires,” he added. “I believe some folks aren’t emotionally mature sufficient to grasp which you could have a deep connection based mostly on character quite than simply on seems.”

Shauna’s mom Patty Schrankel commented on the submit, writing, “Effectively stated Dan. I admire your coming into our lives.”

On the present, Shauna stated she felt there was a “chance” for love after assembly in particular person for the primary time. “Issues are very open, we’re not labeling something, we’re nonetheless associates, we’re protecting it nonchalant,” she defined, earlier than he came around from Wales and made sushi for her whole household.

Throughout the dinner, her mother requested if they’d a “friendship” or one thing extra, prompting Shauna to reply, “Why do now we have to label something? It’s no matter occurs, occurs.”

She went on to name their state of affairs a “bizarre flirtationship,” earlier than they met up for one more date and went paddle-boarding. Forward of the date, he stated that the pair had been persevering with to construct “a connection, attending to know one another and seeing the place issues go.”

After that date, one among Shauna’s sisters boldly requested him, “Who’re you to my sister? Do you’ve gotten a label? Are you associates?” His response: “We’re good associates, attending to know one another with out having to label it for folks.”

In a confessional, Shauna spilled just a little extra on the specifics of their state of affairs — admitting, “Dan and I’ve kissed, I am going to simply put that on the market. We have kissed.”

The pair later talked about probably touring someplace collectively, which might be an enormous step for the duo. Rae, nevertheless, was hesitant and stated it was just a little too quickly for that.

“With regards to particularly taking a look at a future that entails Dan, I might like to journey with him, I might like to see the world the best way he sees it in a way,” she stated throughout the season finale. “I do assume Dan and I’ve a ton of potential, it is only a matter of if we’re getting into the identical route on the identical time. As a result of he’s touring and I’m not at the moment. That would change all the things.”