For more than five months, Andrew Fox had been planning the perfect marriage proposal for girlfriend Heather Terwilliger. She had always dreamed of attending a baseball game at Yankee Stadium, so the romantic boyfriend arranged for the proposal to be announced on the Jumbotron during the 5th inning of Tuesday's contest between the Yankees and the Red Sox.
Fox had the ring box firmly in hand when Terwilliger saw the message flash up on the centerfield screen. TV cameras from ESPN and the YES Network were broadcasting the scene live — as was the Jumbotron at the stadium — when Fox got down on one knee and opened the box to deliver his proposal. With the world watching, the ring flew out, bounced once — and vanished from sight.
Broadcasters for the sports networks could hardly believe the scene that was playing out in front of tens of thousands of fans at the stadium and millions of viewers at home. TV producers found the action so compelling that they cut away from the game frequently to watch the drama in the stands.
Visibly distraught, Fox stood helplessly — holding an empty ring box and scratching his head — as hundreds of Yankee fans in his section assisted with the search, checking around their seats for the missing ring.
"I literally started crying because I thought it was lost,” the New Castle, Pa., native told ESPN.
“I was scared, too,” Terwilliger told the YES Network. “I didn’t know what to think. It was all a shock, it came so quickly."
After a about five heart-thumping minutes, Terwilliger, who is native of Fredonia, N.Y., finally spotted the ring in the cuff of her blue jeans. The crowd went wild as if the home team had just hit a home run in the bottom of the 9th.
The broadcasters also cheered for the couple. “Way better than the game,” one announcer admitted.
Without missing a beat, the 29-year-old future groom resumed his well intended proposal. Terwilliger said, "Yes," and the couple embraced.
The near-calamity made instant celebrities out of the young couple, neither of whom had ever attended a Yankees game before Tuesday. They were interviewed by Major League Baseball, the YES Network, ESPN and CBS News.
Fox explained to Major League Baseball that he had seen stadium proposals in the movies but wasn't sure if it was possible in real life. He Googled "Yankees marriage proposals" and found that the Yankees actually offer scoreboard proposals for $100 over the ticket price.
Fox and Terwilliger now have an awesome story to tell their future grandkids about their Yankee Stadium engagement.
“I’m shocked, but I’m feeling in love,” Terwilliger said.
Check out the video here...
Credits: Screen captures via YouTube.com.
