FIANCEÉ THAT!
Coronavirus nurse surprises girlfriend by proposing in front of cheering neighbors
WHEN Alyssa Kayhill was transferred from her duties as a nurse in the cardiology unit of Brooklyn Hospital Center to care for coronavirus patients, she didn’t want to risk transmitting the virus to her girlfriend of seven years, Linh Trinh.
So the pair, who share an apartment in downtown Brooklyn, made the difficult decision to live separately for as long as it took, even though it meant Trinh having to move 100 miles upstate to stay with her brother in Kingston, NY.
“God forbid I passed anything to her,” says Kayhill, 31, of the decision to live apart. “It was hard on both of us, but it made sense to be apart for a while so she was safe.”
From March 16 onward, the lovebirds only communicated via FaceTime. Graphic designer Trinh, 36, would listen sympathetically as her partner described her stressful shifts nursing critically ill patients in the ICU.
“I was so proud of the work she was doing, but it was heartbreaking not being able to comfort Alyssa in person,” says Trinh.
The extended absence only made the women’s bond stronger and, as the weeks went by, Kayhill decided it was time to put their relationship on a more official footing and propose.
“I missed Linh so much,” she says. “Outside forces prevent you from doing certain things sometimes, but my experience on the job with COVID-19 showed me that life is so short.”
So Kayhill confided in her sister, Kristie Loscalzo, who came up with an ingenious idea for a memorable Pride Month proposal.
Loscalzo suggested her sister pop the question during the nightly 7 p.m. applause for essential workers and first responders that had become a ritual at her apartment complex, a TF Cornerstone building in Long Island City overlooking the East River.
So, on Monday, June 8, Kayhill’s birthday, Loscalzo arranged for Trinh to drive home from Kingston to permanently move back to the city, staging it as a surprise for Kayhill. It was deemed safe for Trinh to return because of the fall in the number of COVID-19 patients Kayhill was caring for. Building management sent e-mails to local residents tipping them off that Kayhill was going to propose at 7 p.m. Monday, and they should consider joining the celebration. Sure enough, as Trinh walked up with a bunch of flowers to give to her girlfriend, hundreds of people in the neighborhood lined the sidewalks or watched from their balconies and burst into applause.
“The 7 p.m. cheer has always been very uplifting to me, so it was wonderful to combine that with the proposal,” says Kayhill, who got down on one knee and slipped a ring on Trinh’s finger inscribed with the words “Love Is What It Will Be.” She is a singer-songwriter as well as a nurse, and the line comes from a love song she wrote for Trinh.
She said “yes” immediately, and the duo hugged and kissed to the delight of the onlookers while Loscalzo videoed the emotionally charged moment.
“I had zero idea this was going to happen,” Trinh says. “And even though I am a shy person who hates being the center of attention, it was really beautiful.”
After the proposal, the couple ended their self-imposed separation for good and returned to their apartment in Brooklyn.
“It’s been wonderful being back together,” says Kayhill, who says they will start planning their wedding once it’s safe to hold a large celebration. “I am just so grateful to all the strangers who showed up [last] Monday night to wish us well. I think a little bit of love is what the city needs right now.”