Surprise proposal at Charlottetown Airport

I went on my one knee and said ‘I guess this is what I’m supposed to do’

Image | Proposal

Caption: "She saw the banner as she was walking through the sliding doors, looked back at me and said ‘no way,'" says Darcy Hagan. (Charlottetown Airport/Facebook)

She said yes!
Darcy Hagan surprised his girlfriend, Rachel Kinlough with the proposal at the Charlottetown Airport.
Hagan is from Burlington, Ont., and Kinlough is from Charlottetown.

Together for five years now

They met through a friend roughly five years ago. Kinlough had gone through a separation and Hagan's wife had passed away.
Together, they're now a family with two daughters from Hagan's former marriage and two sons from Kinlough's.

Image | Webster1

Caption: Rachel Kinlough (left) moves to embrace a family member. Darcy Hagan hugs Lena Webster, Rachel's mom. (Submitted by Lena Webster)

"We've been coming out here for the last four summers for vacation, Rachel's come here for years," Hagan said. "Ironically my dad is from P.E.I. and I had never been here."
"I had his ashes and when Rachel and I first met I told her 'I've never been out there and I have these ashes I've always wanted to sprinkle into the ocean' so she said 'why don't you join me?'"
"We came out here five years ago and we've been coming here since."

The proposal

Kinlough's mom, dad and some of her family was inside waiting for the couple at the airport.
"I thought what a great place to do it in front of her mom and dad and family, we're out here for her grandmother's memorial which is tomorrow, and so there was lots of friends and family here.​"

Image | Webster2

Caption: Family checks out Rachel Kinlough's new bling. (Submitted by Lena Webster)

Hagan was nervous, but more anxious to get it done.
"She saw the banner as she was walking through the sliding doors, looked back at me and said 'no way' — we walked in, I went on my one knee and said 'I guess this is what I'm supposed to do,'" Hagan said.

Perfect ending

Hagan said the family was ecstatic.
"They were just up in arms — they loved it."

Image | Webster3

Caption: Rachel Kinlough hugs a family member. (Submitted by Lena Webster)

"Her mom was a great help, she knows everybody on the Island, so I knew she was the perfect person ... she reached out to the airport and we got the OK to bring the banner in."
Their phones have been buzzing off the hook ever since the proposal, Hagan said, and it's exactly how he pictured starting off their vacation on P.E.I.
Corrections:
  • An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Rachel Kinlough as Rachel Webster. August 11, 2017 1:52 AM