Where was a barf bag when he needed it? Darrell Hamilton, Jr., a California-based video journalist, proposed to his girlfriend, Rheanna Lopez, during a private plane ride on February 11, but ruined the romantic moment by vomiting immediately after giving her the engagement ring.
During a Sunday, March 5, interview with ABC News, Hamilton, 26 — who works for Fresno, California, ABC affiliate KFSN-TV — opened up about the embarrassing incident.
“Rheanna just really likes outdoors and nature and I thought it’d be a cool idea to give her a nice view,” said Hamilton, adding that his 35-year-old girlfriend of two years had only flown in a commercial plane once before.
Earlier in the day, the couple walked along Reedley Blossom Trail in Reedley, California, where Hamilton took pictures. After their hike, Hamilton whisked Lopez off to a nearby airport to complete the surprise.
“She said, ‘Stop! What are you doing? This is crazy,'” Hamilton recalled. “She realized that I knew the pilot when we got out of the car and he said my name.”
Despite Lopez’s excitement, the pair’s ride in the sky didn’t go as smoothly as Hamilton had hoped. Barely seconds after pulling out the engagement ring, he bent over to blow chunks.
While some might assume Hamilton threw up because he was anxious, the Clovis, California, resident insisted that wasn’t the case. “It had nothing to do with being nervous. I got sick from being inside the plane. It was a really small plane and the pilot was helping me look for the sign I made her,” Hamilton — who strategically placed a “Marry me?” sign on his cousin’s lawn — told ABC News. “The tilting kind of messed with my stomach.”
Though Hamilton wasn’t able to actually ask the big question, Lopez got the message and eventually did say yes. “I couldn’t hold it much longer,” he continued. “I just tapped her on the shoulder. I didn’t even ask her. I just gave her the ring.”
Watch it all go down in the video above!
