Wis. Man Plans Romantic Proposal for His Girlfriend Only to Realize the Ring Was Missing on Bended Knee: 'Moment of Confusion'

Mar. 15, 2025

Man proposing marriage to woman.Photo:Westend61/Getty Stock Image

Westend61/Getty Stock Image

A hopeful groom’s holiday proposal ended in a search for his future wife’s custom engagement ring.Dave Van Veen of Wisconsin planned an unforgettable evening for his girlfriend, Kailyn Kenney, which included popping the question on Dec. 22. All seemed to be going according to plan until the moment he was down on one knee — when he reached into his pocket for his ring and realized it wasn’t where he left it.Retracing his steps, Van Veen told local news stationWISNthat he showed the ring to his family in Madison, Wis., before heading to Milwaukee to ask Kenney to be his wife.Tom Werner.Tom WernerGetty Stock Image"The goal was to make it a surprise, and it was certainly a surprising day," Van Veen recalled. “I was super nervous.“Looking back at the last time he saw the ring, he said he and his family “looked at the ring and were all excited. I closed it up in the ring box, and I put it in my jacket pocket. I zipped it shut.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Before making his way to Kenney, Van Veen made a pit stop at a local Speedway gas station, and then Anodyne Coffee to make arrangements for their engagement party.He then took Kenney to South Shore Park where he got down on one knee.“There was this moment of confusion when the ring box was empty,” he told the outlet.As for Kenney, she confessed she was also “confused. Like, ‘Maybe this was part of the plan? What’s going on?’ “After having no luck in finding the ring, the couple believed it fell out of Van Veen’s pocket at some point before his big moment. Still, Kenney said “yes” to Van Veen without the missing bling.“This has really put into perspective what is important,” Kenney told WISN.The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!In the meantime, they are asking locals to help them look for the ring, and also filed a police report with the Milwaukee Police Department.Anyone with information on the ring’s location is urged to email the couple atkailynanddave@gmail.com.

A hopeful groom’s holiday proposal ended in a search for his future wife’s custom engagement ring.

Dave Van Veen of Wisconsin planned an unforgettable evening for his girlfriend, Kailyn Kenney, which included popping the question on Dec. 22. All seemed to be going according to plan until the moment he was down on one knee — when he reached into his pocket for his ring and realized it wasn’t where he left it.

Retracing his steps, Van Veen told local news stationWISNthat he showed the ring to his family in Madison, Wis., before heading to Milwaukee to ask Kenney to be his wife.

Tom Werner.Tom WernerGetty Stock Image

Tom WernerGetty Stock Image

“The goal was to make it a surprise, and it was certainly a surprising day,” Van Veen recalled. “I was super nervous.”

Looking back at the last time he saw the ring, he said he and his family “looked at the ring and were all excited. I closed it up in the ring box, and I put it in my jacket pocket. I zipped it shut.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Before making his way to Kenney, Van Veen made a pit stop at a local Speedway gas station, and then Anodyne Coffee to make arrangements for their engagement party.

He then took Kenney to South Shore Park where he got down on one knee.

“There was this moment of confusion when the ring box was empty,” he told the outlet.

As for Kenney, she confessed she was also “confused. Like, ‘Maybe this was part of the plan? What’s going on?’ "

After having no luck in finding the ring, the couple believed it fell out of Van Veen’s pocket at some point before his big moment. Still, Kenney said “yes” to Van Veen without the missing bling.

“This has really put into perspective what is important,” Kenney told WISN.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

In the meantime, they are asking locals to help them look for the ring, and also filed a police report with the Milwaukee Police Department.

Anyone with information on the ring’s location is urged to email the couple atkailynanddave@gmail.com.

source: people.com