Man Proposes to Girlfriend by Appearing in Televised Super Bowl Commercial
"I was so happy and I was in shock," said Kourtney Myers of New York.
— -- A New York man pulled off a unique proposal last night in a commercial that aired during Super Bowl LI.
Chris Garguilo, 26, of Schenectady popped the big question to longtime girlfriend Kourtney Myers while appearing in the TV spot. The commercial played just before the game's halftime show.
"I was like, 'Why are you on TV when you're sitting right next to me?'" Kourtney Myers, 25, told ABC News. "The commercial was really quick and then he got down on one knee. I was so happy and I was in shock. I didn't know it was coming."
Garguilo and Myers met while attending separate colleges in Potsdam, New York. After five years together, Garguilo decided it was time to propose, so last month, he purchased an engagement ring from Northeastern Fine Jewelers in Schenectady, he told ABC News.
At the time, the company was hosting a contest called "Surprise Super Bowl Proposal," in which customers could enter a drawing to propose in a televised Super Bowl commercial.
Last week, Garguilo was announced as the winner.
"They said, 'You're going to have 10 seconds to say what you want to say,'" Garguilo recalled. "I memorized it. I went to the jewelry store to film. I told everyone watching, 'Finding the one you're supposed to be with is possible,' then told Kourtney that she was the one.'"
Along with five of the couple's closest friends who were in on the surprise, Garguilo waited tensely for the commercial to air.
About an hour and a half after the game's start time, Garguilo appeared on the TV asking Myers to be his bride. She happily accepted.
"It's definitely unique, but if you knew him you would know that's perfect for him," Myers said of her fiancé. "He loves the Super Bowl and 'go big or go home' is his motto, so he definitely lives up to that."
Gregg Kelly, vice president of Northeastern Fine Jewelers, told ABC News that the company couldn't have picked a better person as the winner.
"With these types of promos, it takes a lot of courage to be in the public eye and he did such a great job," Kelly said. "Those two are truly in love."
The couple hopes to have a summer wedding in 2018, they said.