A TOTI couple’s enduring love has come full circle with an underwater engagement on Saturday, 12 July.
Karlien Franken and Dwayne Brittion, who have dated for seven years, became engaged at Ushaka Marine World, the place where they first laid eyes on each other.
She had no idea of Dwayne’s plans as she was away on a netball tour last week. “He took my parents for dinner last Monday and asked if he could have their blessing to marry me. I returned on Saturday morning, to find we were all going to uShaka. He told me he wanted to take his sister for the ocean walk for her birthday, but she was unable to, as she had injured her foot,” said Karlien.
As he had already made a booking, Karlien agreed to accompany him. “As soon as we put on our wetsuits, I became really excited. Our parents were in the aquarium along with some bystanders. An announcement was made about the proposal, which I was oblivious to, as we were underwater.”
As soon as they hit the sand, they were surrounded by sting rays, sand sharks and other fish. “I felt Dwayne’s hands quivering, but I thought nothing of it. We explored more and the dive master gestured to me to go on my knees and look in the sand. When we deep sea dive, we normally look for shark teeth in the sand, so I assumed that was what I was looking for. Then it dawned on me that there were no sharks in this tank.”
Unsure as to what she was looking for, Karlien spotted he corner of a white note. “I read it carefully, word for word. My heart started to pound. The note was full of red hearts and it said, ‘my liefde van my lewe. Als het hier begin. Ek dink dis die perfekte plek om jou te vra of jy my die gelukkigste man in die wereld sal maak, lief jou baie’. On the other side of the note were the words, ‘Karlien Franken sal jy asseblief met my trou’. I spun around to find Dwayne on one knee, holding the most beautiful ring out to me, a sight I will never forget. Without thinking about it I shouted ‘ja’. He could not hear me, only bubbles escaping from my helmet. He signaled the okay sign rather nervously and I responded with a very clear okay.”
Karlien described it as the best day ever and that she can’t wait to marry Dwayne.
