A planned marriage proposal on New Hampshire's Mount Kearsarge took an unexpected turn when the girlfriend suffered a leg injury that required a rescue operation, but the question was still asked and answered.
Tim Dupere had intended to propose to Alexis Hardy while hiking the Barlow Trail on July 11. However, during the 3.1-mile trek, Hardy injured her leg to the extent that she was unable to hike back down the mountain, according to officials from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.
The department was alerted to the situation by State Police Dispatch just before noon. As rescuers arrived and placed Hardy onto an emergency stretcher, Dupere seized the moment to present the engagement ring and ask for her hand in marriage.
Hardy accepted Dupere's proposal while seated on the rescue litter. The newly engaged couple posed for a photograph with a scenic view as rescuers prepared to carry her down the mountain. First responders then transported Hardy down the Rollins Trail, and she was subsequently taken to a hospital by ambulance.
"New Hampshire Fish and Game would like to congratulate Alexis Hardy and Tim Dupere on their engagement," read a press release from the department.
Falls are identified as the most common cause of hiking-related fatalities, often occurring during descents, according to Hike Safe information. Other potential dangers include heat exhaustion, heat stroke, dehydration, and hypothermia.
In a separate incident in 2017, an Ohio couple experienced a proposal that also coincided with a rescue. George Begalla proposed to Katie Woodford at the summit of Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona, after which Woodford reported feeling unwell and collapsed. The pair had been hiking in 93-degree weather at the time, which, combined with the excitement of the engagement, is believed to have contributed to her distress.