Monday, August 25, 2014

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Turns Into Heart-Warming Marriage Proposal for Kansas Couple

It was only a matter a time before a romantic young man figured out a clever way to incorporate the wildly popular ALS Ice Bucket Challenge into a heart-warming marriage proposal.

icebucketchallenge1

Last Tuesday, Shelby Muha, a teacher from Manhattan, Kan., believed she was simply shooting a video of an Ice Bucket Challenge with boyfriend, Justin Davidson.

Muha introduces herself and nominates three friends to take the challenge. Then she tenses up as she expects Davidson — also a teacher — to dump the freezing water on her head.

icebucketchallenge2

But, when it doesn’t happen, she spins around to see him on bended knee with an engagement ring in hand. The startled girlfriends says, “What?” And then she giggles as Davidson asks for her hand in marriage.

icebucketchallenge3

She accepts his proposal, but fumbles the ring. As she scoops it off the sidewalk, Davidson blasts her with the bucket of ice water.

icebucketchallenge4

The fun-loving Muha takes it all in stride and maintains a smile through her part of the challenge. It was now Davidson’s turn. He steps forward and nominates a few friends. Then, Muha seals the deal by dumping a cooler of ice water on her new fiancĂ©.

icebucketchallenge5

The drenched couple embraces, concluding what we believe to be the world's first-ever ALS Ice Bucket Challenge marriage proposal.

icebucketchallenge6

Muha told MailOnline that she had no clue the proposal was coming. “Justin is a really quiet guy, and he's not into big, showy things at all,” she said. “He's not a limelight lover, and so even being on video freaks him out.”

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge works like this. A person who has already taken the challenge gets to nominate three of his or her own friends or family members to accept the next challenge. Those who have been newly nominated have 24 hours to film themselves dumping ice water on their heads or they must send a $100 donation to support the non-profit ALS Association. If they successfully complete the mission, they send $10 to the charity. The drenching must be recorded and posted to social media.

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has become a national phenomenon. Celebrities, such as Derek Jeter and Lady Gaga, as well as dignitaries, such as former President George W. Bush, have all accepted and succumbed to the Ice Bucket Challenge.

The challenge has been enormously successful in generating awareness and funds for the foundation that aims to find a cure to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The neurodegenerative disease affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

icebucketchallenge7

More than 3.3 million people have used the hashtag “#icebucketchallenge,” with the number spiking to more than 600,000 last Tuesday, according to the social media analytic web site Topsy.com.

The ALS Foundation reports having received $13 million in donations between July 29 and August 17. That compares to $1.7 in donations during the same period a year ago.

Check out the video of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge marriage proposal. It has been seen by more than 100,000 YouTube viewers.

Images: YouTube screen captures

No comments: