Boyfriend secretly collaborates with 40 passengers on the flight to pull of epic proposal

Although a lot of people like to keep their weddings simple and intimate, some even make proposals grand and turn them into a public affair. When birthday girl Erica Bonilla reached Houston airport dressed in a pastel blue dress to receive her boyfriend Jack Lorey, flying from Nashville to meet her, she wasn't expecting the proposal that he had in mind. On the dazzling night of their reunion at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Jack popped the question with a red rose, WKRN News reported.

Jack and Erica had been in a long-distance relationship for two years, and every month, they flew between Nashville and Houston to see each other. While Bonilla was anticipating a regular date on her birthday, Jack had planned something special for her. Jack had secretly collaborated with with United Airlines and 40 flight passengers, to propose to her. Jack and Erica’s love story began in Florida where Jack was attending a friend’s wedding whereas Erica was on a family vacation. They saw each other from across a bar and something clicked. “I went and introduced myself,” Jack told WKRN News. "We stayed in loose contact for a long time until she flew to Nashville to visit me for the first time. We clicked right away and both knew this was special," he added.

When Jack made that unexpected last-minute trip to Florida, he never knew that he was going to find the love of his life. Now he says, he thanks God every day for sending him to the wedding that day. Over time, their love blossomed and they couldn’t wait to meet each other every month. "That loose contact became constant and the visits back and forth never stopped,” he said. Ever since they started dating each other in their long-distance relationship, they shared many adventures, from rodeos to skydiving, and more. But it was time for the couple to move towards the next chapter of their lives, and Jack took the initiative.

When Jack’s flight landed, each of the passengers handed Bonilla a rose as they left. When Bonilla’s hands were full of roses, Jack bent down on his knee and gave her the last rose, right on the tarmac. As Bonilla extended her hand, he slipped a ring into her finger and she was beyond ecstatic. After the proposal, Erica was seen exclaiming in a video by the news outlet, “This is the best day of my life!”

Later, Jack thanked United Airlines for making the heartwarming moment possible with their support. "Leading up to the day, I was a nervous wreck, I sent an email on a whim to United and to have gotten their help to make this proposal happen is so cool. I am beyond grateful," said Jack, before adding, "We already loved United, but helping me make this proposal special for Erica has definitely built a lifelong loyalty from our family."

On Instagram, where Jack posted some pictures of this sweet proposal, United Airlines congratulated them in a comment, saying, “One box of tissues was not enough.”