Lee Loechler wanted to make his proposal extra special. Loechler was hoping to give his high school sweetheart, Sthuthi David, something truly catered to her. As it turns out, her favorite film is the animated feature Sleeping Beauty. Loechler came up with a plan to alter the film so that she was a character in it. 

“It’s not every day you get to propose to your High School sweetheart. For the past six months, I’ve been working with an illustrator to animate my girlfriend and myself into her favorite movie, Sleeping Beauty. On 12/30/19 I popped the question in a theater filled with our friends and family,” he wrote on the Youtube caption. 

The legendary proposal

The theater was filled with the couple’s family and friends but somehow David had no idea. Suddenly, at the end of the film Aurora has beautiful brown skin and the handsome prince looks a lot like Loechler. At first, David was confused but when the cartoon prince whipped out an engagement ring and Loechler stood up in the theater, what was really happening became completely clear. 

“It’s not every day you get to propose to your high school sweetheart. So I just wanna take my time, savor this moment,” Loechler says getting down on one knee. 

“Oh my god, these poor people,” David says tearfully. 

“They’re all in on it,” Loechler revealed. At this moment David turns around and realizes that the theater is filled with their loved ones. 

“I love you with my whole heart including all of its ventricles, atriums, valves — she’s a cardiologist. Sthuthi David, MD, will you live happily ever after with me?” Loechler says. 

“Yes,” David exclaims before joking. “I thought there was something wrong with the movie!” 

Loechler and David seem to share a wicked sense of humor. After the proposal airs, an alternative ending where David rejects his proposal closes out the movie. 

“The only thing better than seeing the smartest person I know completely dumbfounded was knowing we’d get to live happily ever after together. Enjoy,” Loechler wrote on Instagram. 

The artist behind the proposal.

View this post on Instagram

SURPRISE!!! For the last 6 months I’ve been working with the incredible @yours_true_lee to execute the Sleeping Beauty proposal of his high school sweetheart’s dreams. After many late nights sketching and colouring I might be even more excited that @stutzd4 said yes than he is! Lee, thank you so much for trusting me with your vision. It’s truly been an honour to be a part of this. Wishing you both the happiest of Happy Ever Afters ????????????

A post shared by KAYLA COOMBS (@kaylacoombs) on Jan 9, 2020 at 6:35pm PST

Loechler worked with Australian scientist turned illustrator and animator Kayla Combs for six months to get the proposal just right. 

“SURPRISE!!! For the last 6 months I’ve been working with the incredible [Loechler] to execute the Sleeping Beauty proposal of his high school sweetheart’s dreams,” Combs wrote on Instagram. “After many late nights sketching and coloring I might be even more excited that [David] said yes than he is! Lee, thank you so much for trusting me with your vision. It’s truly been an honor to be a part of this. Wishing you both the happiest of Happy Ever Afters.”

Combs worked as an analytical chemist for two years before pursuing her dream of becoming an illustrator. Now she creates cartoon characters featuring a diverse array of women and is donating 100 percent of profits from her children’s book What Can We Be? to raise money for the Australian Bushfire Disaster Appeal to support Australian firefighters. 

The reaction

This proposal was adorable, wonderful, & amazing. I love it! ????

(I have no clue to logistical magic that had to be done to animate yourself & your girlfriend into sleeping beauty, rent out a movie theatre, & get all your family & friends into the theatre w/o her noticing anyone) https://t.co/FxNWbnreL9

— Magnificent Miles ???? (@MilesMagnifico) January 10, 2020

The video which has garnered almost 3 million views on YouTube, and has received widespread media coverage, since yesterday is certainly a hit. People simply had no choice but to stan such a thoughtful proposal. 

“I have no clue to logistical magic that had to be done to animate yourself & your girlfriend into sleeping beauty, rent out a movie theatre, & get all your family & friends into the theatre w/o her noticing anyone),” one Twitter user wrote.

Some men on Reddit felt like the video made their proposals pale in comparison to the amount of effort that went into Loechler’s.

“I thought I was smooth with my bridge and lilyponds on a black sand beach in Hawaii….. this guy just went and rewrote theatrical history, broke the fourth wall, made a 4th-dimensional joke and timed it perfectly, made a highbrow doctor’s joke, conspired with the internet, and filled a theater with family and friends,” one Reddit user said.  

Loechler has set a very high bar for himself, but it is pretty clear he believes David deserves nothing but the best. 

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The centuries-old tradition of proposing with an engagement ring is facing a new challenger. Because if Instagram is anything to go by, engagement finger piercings are now a thing. Yup, some people are now choosing to declare their eternal love for each other with a diamond piercing instead of an actual ring. Here’s how it works.

Dermal piercings are the latest trend replacing engagement rings.

Getting your ears pierced (probably in the window of Claires, with your friends surrounding you) is a rite of passage for most 13-year-olds. But this isn’t that kind of piercing. It’s called a dermal piercing or (to those in the medical profession) a transdermal implant. It’s hardcore and when done right can look pretty cool.

Also known as microdermals, anchors, dermal anchors, and single-point piercings.

They refer to any piercing that lies on a flat surface of the body – in this case, the finger – and is held in place with an ‘anchor’ that is implanted beneath the skin. Ouch. The jewelry then sits on the surface of the skin, making it look like there are gems or beads on the body.

How Does a Dermal Piercing Work?

PSA to all weak-stomached readers: skip this paragraph. First, a qualified technician will sterilize the area and then use either a dermal punch on to remove a small tube of flesh, or a needle to make an L-shaped pouch, then, using dermal forceps, an anchor with either a footed or round base is inserted into the area.

How long does a dermal piercing last?

While you might not get a choice about what type of dermal base is used, there are several variations. Some are punctured with holes so that the tissue can grow in and around the piercing while others have pivoting feet that keep the piercing in place over time – FYI this is V. important as these little accessories have a habit of migrating and rejecting over time (if this happens to you speak to your piercer STAT as a displaced piercing can be fixed as long as you act fast!).

So why are people opting for piercings?

One reason might be cost: tAccording to recent surveys, most American couples expect to spend between $1,000 and $5,000 on an engagement ring, while dermals come in at around $70.

But there are lots of potential complications.

A dermatological expert told the BBC, “If the piercing is not deep enough there is a risk of it moving, known as migration. If it is too deep the skin begins to grow over the piercing, known as embedding. Other risks include inflammation, scarring and infection – particularly if it is on the hands, as is the case with these particular piercings.” They also point out that, “Another problem with having a dermal piercing on your hand is the increased likelihood of it catching on something.”

… Let’s just take a second for that to sink in.

If the mere thought of your ring piercing catching on your clothes or hair isn’t enough to put you off, some piercing studios have said they won’t do dermal piercings on people’s fingers, for that very reason. So if you’re thinking of getting a finger piercing, keep in mind that it will hurt, it could migrate, embed itself, or get infected, and you may accidentally rip your finger skin off while putting on a sweater —all in the name of love. You have been warned.

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