A 23-year-old woman who is looking for love while in the body of an eight-year-old girl has introduced her parents to a potential new partner after it slipped into their direct messages.
At 3 feet, 10 inches tall, Shauna Rae Lesick is about the average height of a third grader and weighs just 50 pounds. Her stunted growth is a side effect of being treated for brain tumors as an infant, and she is often mistaken for a child.
She has previously been open about the unique dating struggles she has faced due to her condition, and once revealed her parents’ fears that her childlike looks would attract pedophiles.
But in a recent episode of her TLC reality series I Am Shauna Rae, the reality star took a huge leap forward in love, opening up about how she met 26-year-old Dan Swygart, a traveler from Wales. went out to her and sent her flowers after watching the first season of her show.
Shauna Rae Lesick, 23, introduced Dan Swygart, 26, to her parents in a recent episode of their TLC reality series I Am Shauna Rae.
Shauna’s stunted growth is a side effect of surviving brain cancer as an infant. The chemotherapy rendered her pituitary gland dormant, resulting in pituitary dwarfism
“Dan and I met through social media and we talked for a couple of months. He travels so often, so he doesn’t have service everywhere,” she explained. “We just hit it off and we have a lot of similarities in our lives.”
Shauna noted that she “always wanted to travel” and Dan’s adventures “piqued her interest.”
“He’s just a nice guy,” she added.
After meeting her, he came to her hometown in Long Island, New York to meet her in person. They spent the day with their 18-year-old half-sister, Rylee, in an aquarium and escape room.
“Rylee and I were both very worried because we didn’t know what he wanted,” Shauna admitted. “He was also casually talking to both of us, so we didn’t know who he was into.”
Shauna has openly said her parents are worried she will attract pedophiles because she is 3ft 10 inches, the average height of a third grader
Dan, a traveler from Wales, watched the first season of her reality show and reached out to her on social media before sending her flowers, leading to them chatting regularly
After meeting her, he came to the United States to meet her in person. They spent the day with their 18-year-old half-sister Rylee (pictured) in an aquarium and escape room.
“Rylee and I were both very worried because we didn’t know what he wanted,” Shauna admitted. “He was also casually talking to both of us, so we didn’t know who he was into.”
The next time Dan visited Shauna, he came to her house to make sushi rolls. She introduced him to her mother and stepfather, Patty and Mark Schrankel, who couldn’t resist giving him the third degree.
Shauna has been open about her parents’ concern that her childlike appearance could attract pedophiles.
She was six months old when she was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor. She underwent surgery and three years of chemotherapy. Although the treatment was successful, it almost put her pituitary gland into a dormant state, which stunted its growth.
With the help of injections of synthetic hormones, she grew another 20 centimeters, but by the time she was 16, her doctor told her that her bones had fused and that she would not grow anymore. She was only a few inches shy of 4 feet.
Patty wanted to know if they were more than friends and how often they talked, which Dan said was almost daily at this point.
Shauna admitted she’s not sure what to expect for her and Dan in the future because she’s terrified of starting a long-distance relationship
The next time Dan visited Shauna, he came to her house to make sushi rolls and met her mother and stepfather, Patty and Mark Schrankel
Patty wanted to know if they were more than friends and how often they talked, which Dan said was almost daily at this point
“I think Dan would be a really good match for Shauna because he’s very smart [and] adventurous,” said her stepfather
“I’m not really irritated by my family when they raise these questions about the future. I haven’t spoken to Dan about it. I’m kinda letting it go, but it’s nice to try and see if he can respond to that,” Shauna said in her confessional.
Dan seemed visibly uncomfortable with the interrogation, but he was open about taking their daughter with him on his travels around the world.
“I think Dan would be a really good match for Shauna because he’s very smart [and] adventurous. Shauna is smart but not very adventurous,” her stepfather told the camera. ‘I think he could pull them out [her] Comfort zone, but still make them safe.’
Shauna admitted she’s not sure what to expect for her and Dan in the future because she’s terrified of starting a long-distance relationship.
“I actually didn’t really think about Dan and I being in a relationship and what that would look like,” she explained. “I suppose we’d probably try a long-distance relationship, but I was in a long-distance relationship. That’s not my thing.”
Shauna’s parents tried to support Dan, who wanted to take her to a wedding in Malaysia, but she called them “blatant liars” and insisted they would never let her go
The visit ended with Dan visiting her while she was attending a charity event
Shauna and Dan shared an awkward slow dance before he left. She wasn’t sure when she would see him again, but she was confident that he would come back
She noted that he would either have to settle somewhere or travel with him. He had already asked her to go to Malaysia with him to be his plus one at a wedding.
“Dan, taking Shauna out of the country, I think it would be really cool. I think she would enjoy herself,’ said her stepfather.
“I’m not so sure about that,” her mother interjected.
Shauna called them both “blatant liars” and insisted they would never let her leave the country with him.
The visit ended with Dan visiting her while she was attending a charity event. They shared an awkward slow dance before he left.
“I’m sure I’ll see Dan again,” she said to the camera. ‘He comes back.’