Crater of Diamonds State Park assists in secret marriage proposal
MURFREESBORO — Diamonds are important to many visitors at Crater of Diamonds State Park and most have a goal of leaving with one. Bryar Bequette, of St. Louis, had a special reason why it was imperative that his girlfriend, Brooke Oostendorp, left the park with a diamond on Sept. 17: he proposed to her while they were on the search field.
Bequette began planning the proposal more than a year ago and secretly started saving for a engagement ring. He scoured the internet for destinations where they could find gems and, after watching a YouTube video, knew that Crater of Diamonds would be the perfect place, a news release said.
Next came a meeting to ask his future father-in-law’s permission to marry his daughter. Bequette sent a text message and arranged the meeting, dressed in his best clothing and got the approval he was seeking. While registering at the park’s campground he asked if there was someone who could take pictures of the proposal and was directed to Betty Coors at the state park. After a brief phone call the day before they arrived, Bequette and Coors were able to make plans to meet secretly the next morning at the Diamond Discovery Center. He hid the ring from Oostendorp in his boot before moving it to one of his socks the next morning.
At 10 a.m. the day of the proposal, Coors approached the couple and Bequette held out his shaking hand with a piece of quartz and asked her to identify it for him. She did, and he was able to drop to his knee and ask his future wife for her hand in marriage while Coors took photos of the proposal. She said yes.
Last significant rainfall: Sept.
17.
Diamond finds for the week of Sept. 11-17:
Sept. 16 — Lavada Teinert, Santa Fe, Texas, 6 pt. white, 11 pt. white.
Sept. 17 — Karl Siggelow, Tyler, Texas, 1.22 ct. white.