A morning show anchor at an NBC affiliate in Illinois had some important breaking news for his girlfriend last week.
During a live on-air interview on Thursday, anchor Mark Rivera of WAND-TV in Decatur, Ill., got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend of three years, Alissa Groeninger, who gladly accepted. The YouTube video of the proposal has received more than 130,000 views.
Groeninger thought Rivera was going to interview her about her work as a journalist for the State Journal (Ill.) Register when he popped the question. “Really, I only have one question to ask you,’’ he said on live television. “And it’s the most important question I’ve ever asked anyone in my whole life.”
Rivera then got down on one knee and produced an engagement ring.
“Will you marry me?’’ he asked.
Without even looking at the ring, Groeninger said, “Of course,’’ and wrapped him in a hug before Rivera added, “She said yes.’’ He then introduced a commercial break. The newsroom went “nuts’’ following Rivera’s proposal, WAND-TV meteorologist Greg Trumbold told The New York Daily News.
Rivera came up with the idea a week earlier after having bought the ring a few weeks ago, according to Trumbold.
“If you knew him, you could tell in his eyes that he was nervous,” Trumbold told the News. “But when it came to it, he nailed it.”
“Yesterday was a very special day...and the start of a wonderful future together,’’ Rivera wrote on his Facebook page Friday. “Alissa and I both thank you for sharing in that day and for allowing us to share that moment with you.
“Thank you all for your kind words. I can't tell you how much we both appreciate them. Hope you all have a wonderful day.”
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