Pittsburgh Zoo's Penguins Help Local Man Propose To His Girlfriend
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- They say penguins mate for life.
Well, while that may not be entirely true, one Beechview couple's love story has become all about the adorable flightless birds!
Mitch Fowkes' proposal to Casey Brady at the penguins' enclosure at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is now getting national recognition as they've been featured in People Magazine and their YouTube video now has more than 38,000 views.
It all started four years ago during their first Halloween together.
That's when Mitch got matching penguin costumes for his now-fiancée and himself.
"She wanted a Batman, Catwoman kind of thing," Mitch recalls.
"I just didn't expect him to come home with these huge penguin outfits," Casey replies.
So, when he decided to propose to Casey, Mitch – wanting to keep the penguin theme going – got in touch with the Pittsburgh Zoo and they helped him put together the grand gesture.
Using actual letterhead from the zoo, Mitch put together a letter saying he and Casey had won a behind-the-scenes tour. A camera crew with Shofilms Production company posed as extras and the zookeeper began the march to penguins' exhibit.
First, Mitch and Casey met Clark, an emperor penguin. Then, the zookeeper brought out Mickey, the engagement ring tied around the little penguin's neck with a white ribbon.
Casey says she never expected a penguin at the zoo to be delivering her engagement ring. That's when she caught on to what was about to happen and started to dance around with happy feet.
"I was like, 'Oh, the bow is so cute,'" Casey says. "A ribbon. And then, obviously, it took me a second, and then I saw the ring."
"There was silence for like a couple seconds," Mitch adds. "I'm just like, did she see the ring? What's going on? Why isn't she saying anything, you know?"
"Then I realized, this is happening right now," Casey says. "I had no idea. I just couldn't believe it. I was just, like what, where, it's really happening! And I just started screaming my head off because I was that excited!"
Mitch, with an excited Mickey as his witness, then got down on one knee and asked Casey to spend the rest of her life with him.
And of course, Casey said yes!
As People Magazine says, it's yet to be determined if Mickey will also serve as ring bearer at the wedding. He already has the tuxedo! Guess we'll have to wait and see.
Watch the proposal here:
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