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Contestant's Name: Jillian Entered on 2/18/2004 7:02:24 PM A couple of weeks before our engagement Lou (my now fiancee) went to my parents house without me knowing and asked their permission to marry me. Of course they said yes. Well I knew Lou had the ring but I was a little hesitant to get engaged while still in college, it was September of my senior year, Lou had graduated the year before. Unfortunately on October 7, the day of my 21st birthday tragedy struck. My father fell down our basement stairs completely paralyzing him. Lou, visiting me at college in Philadelphia for my birthday had to break the bad news to me. We rushed to Connecticut to visit my father in intensive care. At the end of the week Lou and I were alone in my house putting on our coats to go visit my father who had just been moved out of intensive care. He turned and looked at me and lifted his arms up saying he wanted a hug. Me, being happy to oblige after the tough week wrapped my arms around his middle. As I wrapped around him my hands hit a box in his pocket, I just froze. He said, "You know what that is?" As he peeled me away from him, he removed the box from his pocket, got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. He said, he knew it was sooner than I wanted but he thought the whole family could use some good cheer in their lives and he had already asked my parents. I immediately said yes and we hurried to the hospital to share the good news with my family and to show off the ring. My mother was bragging to the nurses all day long and it was so good to see her so happy after the incredibly painful and difficult ordeal with my father.