The NYPD says a couple whose wedding proposal went horribly wrong will get their happy ending after all.
Police successfully tracked down the pair after they lost a diamond engagement ring in a New York City utility grate Friday night. Authorities had started a search for the distraught couple after retrieving the ring on Saturday. The department is now working on getting the ring back to its rightful owner in Europe.
The magic moment-gone-wrong was all caught on camera. The bride-to-be, Daniella, tweeted Sunday that her fiance, John, proposed in Central Park, but the ring was too big and fell off into a utility grate while they were walking in Times Square.
Both Daniella and John dropped to their knees hoping to find it.
“The guy was on the floor like Superman, like he was flying, laying on the grate over there,” witness Yann Geoffrey told CBS2’s Aundrea Cline-Thomas.
Geoffrey was working for a tour company just feet away.
“The guy was doing everything. I think he even pulled up gum and tried to put it down the hole over there,” Geoffrey said.
In a tweet, John said he “spent ages trying to find (the ring) and police stopped me from physically climbing down the drain.”
The following morning, the next shift of officers returned to the same location near 47th Street and Seventh Avenue to look again.
“Fortunately, it was actually kind of sitting on top of all of that stuff, so it really wasn’t hard to find. It was just a small object like that in the midst of all the garbage,” Det. Joseph Bucchignano said.
Police had the ring. Now they just had to find the couple. So they turned to Twitter.
Thousands of shares later, the couple was identified, back in the United Kingdom.
The NYPD thanked the public for all the re-tweets it says helped get the couple’s attention and let them know their ring was safe.
In a tweet, Daniella said, “Thank you again @nypdnews we will never forget how much effort you went to. Love New York.”
Officers said it was just another day at the office. But what a story John and Daniella will have for a lifetime.
When asked if he’s expecting an invite to the wedding, Det. Bucchignano said, “No, that I am not. I’m not one for weddings, so I wish them the best of luck and happiness and all that good stuff. But I’ll send them a card or something. We’ll leave it at that.”
John, the future groom, said he can’t thank the officers enough. He hopes to return to New York and buy them a few cold beers, and added they’ll get a mention at the wedding.
We would like to thank everyone who shared this story! The (now) happy couple is back in their home country, but thanks to your retweets they heard we were looking for them! We’re making arrangements to get them their ring back. Congratulations! https://t.co/rXHxxkwClm
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) December 2, 2018
