Love Under the Lights: A Magical Engagement in Patchogue, NY
After marching in Patchogue’s nighttime holiday parade on Nov. 30, Gabriela Manfredi and Robinson Cruthers had an unforgettable experience
LONG ISLAND, NY —
After marching in Patchogue’s nighttime holiday parade on Nov. 30, Gabriela Manfredi and Robinson Cruthers went back to their office at the arts council to freshen up in preparation for hitting Main Street. “Really everyone just started dispersing,” Manfredi, 30, recalled, adding, “This is weird. What is going on? Are we not going out to dinner?” Cruthers told her that his sister and her family, who live in New Jersey, ended up coming to the parade, but was leaving and they had to go over to say goodbye to them. She didn’t suspect anything. When they headed out to their destination, the street was still closed off to traffic, and though only minutes earlier it had been teeming with revelers in the holiday spirit, the crowds of people had gone back home or disappeared inside restaurants for a hot meal. Main Street had fallen somewhat silent. It was illuminated by the flicker of lights as patrons moved bustled about inside restaurants, spaced out amid decorated shopfronts. Overhead vintage-style lampposts and giant snowflakes twinkled. The Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts glowed warmly in the cold air as its marquee highlighted messages about upcoming events. It was like something out of a movie scene, and then the atmosphere was stepped up a notch.
Cruthers maneuvered Manfredi, still dressed in reindeer garb, over in front of the theatre, and he asked her to marry him. “And then we got closer and closer, and he stops, and then he just gets down on one knee,” Manfredi said. “I was in total shock. And at this point, I also still had antlers on and a full reindeer costume on. I just kept saying, ‘It’s real? Is this really happening?'” Cruthers was pointing to the theatre’s marquee displaying his marriage proposal, and telling her that she needed to answer him. “I was like, ‘Of course, yes, I love you,'” she said, recalling how her boyfriend of nine years became her fiance in a split second. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together.” As the happy couple basked in the moment, their friends and family came out of seemingly nowhere and Manfredi “fully got the picture of what was going on.”
To pull off the perfect moment, it was quite some time in the planning stage, and it took a village. Asked when he knew he wanted to marry Manfredi, Cruthers jokingly said, “Eight years ago.” He credited their relationship for being a Tinder success story, but there is that old saying that the course of true love never does run smooth. When the pair first connected, Manfredi got spooked and actually stood him up on their first date, but they later worked it out. Their first date Part Deux ended up taking place at Alive After Five. Cruthers, who grew up in Patchogue, settled on Patchogue as the proposal’s venue for its long-standing ties to himself and his family. Cruthers, 36, took part in the wrestling program at Patchogue-Medford High School and then coached the team as an alum. The couple is very good about communicating openly in their relationship, so marriage is something that they have always “talked about,” and they wanted to do it at the right time, but Cruthers also wanted it “to be a surprise,” he said.
Last year at Thanksgiving, his cousin’s precocious eight-year-old son, whom he coaches, pulled him aside and asked why he hadn’t proposed to Gabriela. “I said, ‘Look, I promise by the end of this coming year, I’ll have proposed to her, so you’ll have a wedding to go to,'” Cruthers recalled. “And then it just kicked in,” he added. “I said, ‘You know, I love this girl. I want to be with her forever.'”
How will this affect me?
This heartwarming story of a surprise engagement showcases the power of love and community support. Witnessing such a special moment can inspire us to appreciate our loved ones more and perhaps consider grand gestures to celebrate important milestones in our relationships.
How will this affect the world?
Stories like these remind us of the beauty of love and human connections. They serve as a reminder that amidst the chaos of the world, there are moments of pure joy and love that bring communities together. It highlights the importance of celebrating love and relationships, spreading positivity and happiness.
Conclusion:
Love truly knows no bounds, and the magical engagement in Patchogue, NY, is a testament to the power of love and community. As we witness heartwarming moments like this, we are reminded of the importance of love, family, and celebrating special milestones in life. Let this story inspire us to cherish our loved ones and create unforgettable moments that bring joy and happiness.
