Marine Richard Guzman Proposes to Girlfriend Anaise Sandoval on 'GMA'
Richard Guzman wanted proposal to be "something she will never forget."
Sept. 4, 2009— -- One "Good Morning America" audience member got a huge surprise today. Marine Richard Guzman proposed to his girlfriend, Anaise Sandoval, live on the show.
Guzman's mother, Diane Florez, told "GMA" that her son is a romantic and wanted to do something really big to propose to his girlfriend.
Guzman told Sandoval, "I want to profess my love for you and I want to know will you marry me?"
"Yes!" Sandoval exclaimed. She said she was "totally surprised," wiping away tears.
The couple, from Houston, grew up in the same town but didn't know each other. Guzman, 27, joined the Marines after a few years in college, and spent a year serving in Iraq.
Upon returning home, he and a few Marine buddies were visiting friends in Austin, and he met Sandoval, who went to college there, at a party.
Guzman saw Sandoval, 25, through the window before she even entered the apartment where the party was taking place. He thought she was pretty … and the rest is history. They've been together for a little more than two years and are the proud owner of two dogs, Lucky and Monster.
Guzman's family had planned a trip to New York, and he thought that would be the perfect opportunity to propose. His mother suggested he try to pop the question on television, so Guzman went to the "Good Morning America" Web site, clicked on Chris Cuomo's page and submitted an e-mail to Cuomo.
The e-mail read:
Dear Mr. Cuomo,
I am a U.S. Marine who will be visiting New York with my girlfriend during the Labor Day weekend. Arriving Thursday the 3rd; leaving Monday the 7th. I am planning on asking her to marry me during that weekend. I want this to be something she will never forget and I was wondering with your help, if I could ask her sometime during the "Good Morning America" show on Friday the 4th and maybe have it on the Big Screen in Times Square. If there is any way possible, I would appreciate it if you could make this happen. Thank you for your time and consideration.
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