A woman couldn’t contain her tears when she looked down at the collar of a service dog she was collecting to discover a tag asking for her hand in marriage.
As Lexi Ostolski, 23, read the words “Marry Me?” she saw her partner, Momo Esposito, 23, suddenly get down on one knee to present her with a ring.
The moment caught a speechless Lexi completely by surprise, as tears filled her eyes and she tried to let out a “Yes” to Momo’s request.
The pair – who help train sport K9s and service dogs – were at Timberland Farms Pumpkin Patch in Belleview, Florida, on October 23, to collect Lexi’s service dog, Sterling, a German shorthair pointer.
Momo has their own service dog, Beetlejuice, who is trained to assist with a seizure disorder, and Lexi suffers from PTSD and spinal trauma.
After seeing how Beetlejuice helps Momo in day-to-day life, the couple decided to adopt Sterling, who will be trained as a medical response and mobility dog for Lexi.
Knowing how special of a moment this would be for their partner, Momo order a customized dog tag for Sterling ahead of his collection.
The couple have been together 10 years, Momo said, and their unique and meaningful proposal was captured on video and later shared on social media.
Momo said: “She absolutely adored it – it felt like the best way and most fitting for our relationship, as our entire lives revolve around training sport K9s and service dogs.
“I was incredibly nervous. While I truly knew deep down that she would say yes, I was more anxious about making sure the moment was perfect.
“Timing with live animals, such as a puppy, is crucial. We had to make sure we had the perfect spot within the pumpkin patch.
“I immediately started crying when I saw her face. I’m not very good at keeping secrets.
“Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever kept a single secret from Lexi – so having this planned for so long was killing me.
“After finally seeing her face when I got on one knee, I couldn’t help but cry along with her.
“She is truly my soulmate, and we tend to mirror our emotions after being together for so long.
“Seeing her so overtaken with joy and surprise just melted my heart.”
Story via T&T Creative Media