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Not even the Boston Marathon attacks could stop these two men from proposing.
NBC Bay Area reported Wednesday that groom-to-be Andrew Ruggiero had signed up to be a finish line volunteer, unbeknownst to his marathon runner girlfriend, Melissa Blasczyk, in order to surprise her with a proposal. He waited at the finish line with both of their families, a ring and a camera crew to pop the question. But then the bombs went off, and Blasczyk was turned away from the finish line (she was about 10 minutes away), so she walked to the neighboring town of Cambridge.
A friend spotted her walking on the street and drove her home, where she reunited with her boyfriend family. There, Ruggiero popped the question.
"In light of such dark evil...I felt it important to say it’s not going to deter me from finally marrying the girl that I love," Ruggiero told NBC Bay Area.
Meanwhile, another groom-to-be, Mark Tigano, planned to dress up like a finish line volunteer and hand water to his girlfriend, Carissa Catarella, in order to surprise her with a marriage proposal as she finished the race. He also had his and Catarella's family and a camera crew ready at the finish line, The New Haven Register reported Tuesday.
But like Blasczyk, Catarella hadn't arrived at the finish line when the bombs went off, so she was directed to an emergency tent a few miles away. She managed to call Tigano, who picked her up about 30 minutes later.
They gathered with their families at a nearby restaurant, and that's where Tigano decided to pop the question.
“To me, we’re some of the lucky ones,” Catarella told The New Haven Register. “I get to spend the rest of my life with Mark. That’s what the ring symbolizes. We’re very grateful for what we have.”
Watch a video about Ruggiero and Blasczyk above.
Another couple actually got married in Boston Monday after completing the marathon. Click here to read their story.
Click through the slideshow below to see photos of the aftermath of the bombings.
