RHINEBECK – The annual Hot Air Balloon Festival held in Rhinebeck this past weekend had extra special meaning for one Wappinger couple, soon to be moving to Montgomery.
Troy VanBuren surprised his girlfriend, Stephanie O’Geen with an engagement ring as their balloon ascended over the Hudson Valley on Sunday morning.
O’Geen knew the engagement was coming, but she thought not for a couple of weeks. Instead, she recounted what happened in the cramped quarters of the hot air balloon gondola.
“He somehow managed to squeeze down on one knee in the little bucket and kept it short and sweet and asked if I would spend the rest of my life with him and I said yes and we were engaged 1,000 feet up in the air at about 6:45 a.m.” she said.
The couple was treated to a light brunch when they landed.
VanBuren was hoping to pop the question the day before, but the balloon pilot declined to fly because of strong winds.
Troy and Stephanie plan to tie the knot in 2021.
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