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Coronavirus News: COVID-19 cannot stop romantic proposal in NYC

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Monday, April 27, 2020

COVID-19 cannot stop romantic proposal in NYC

COVID-19 did not stop one couple from celebrating their love and getting engaged inside a blossoming garden in Tudor City -- all with a little help from some ICU nurses.

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- COVID-19 could not stop one couple from getting engaged inside a bucolic Tudor City garden.

Peter DiGioia and Brooke Smalley have been dating for five years. Peter wanted to propose to Brooke in New York City while the two were quarantining in his family home in Plainview, New Jersey.

Peter, determined to continue with his plan, would not let the coronavirus get in the way.

Peter enlisted the help of his sister, Lauren, and her boyfriend, Beqir Brija, who are both ICU COVID-19 nurses at Mt. Sinai, to find the perfect NYC location: a flower filled Tudor City Park.

Beqir hid inside the park to take pictures of the proposal on Saturday. Lauren and Beqir enlisted their friend, Ayoub ,who runs the Tudor City Newsstand, to videotape the proposal.

Ayoub shut down his stand for 10 minutes while he ran over to videotape the moment when Brooke said "yes."

Brooke's dad had recently passed away, so being able to capture this special moment brought some happiness to her family.

Brooke sent the video to her mom in Rhode Island, who was also in quarantine.

It took a village to make this happy ending happen, but it goes to show that a viral pandemic cannot stop love.