NEW YORK – The first visitors allowed into the Statue of Liberty’s crown in nearly eight years made the arduous climb Saturday on an Independence Day journey laden with symbolism of freedom, national pride — and for one couple, romance.
Aaron Weisinger, 26, got down on one knee on the crown’s small floor, pulled out a diamond ring and proposed to his girlfriend, Erica Breder. Stunned, she whispered an immediate yes.
“To propose in the crown was perfect,” the 25-year-old Breder said later.
Cheering the Walnut Creek, Calif., couple, fellow visitors also felt the gravity of the occasion.
“I feel the Statue of Liberty represents global unity, a sign that our world must unify,” said Barbara McLean, 57, of Atlanta. After ascending the total of 354 steps to the statue’s crown, she sang “America the Beautiful” to applause from her fellow visitors.
“I think it represents a beacon of hope that, even in difficult times, that dreams can be made,” she said.
The statue was closed to the public after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The base, pedestal and outdoor observation deck were reopened in 2004, but the crown remained off-limits.
AP – Aaron Weisinger, 26, surprises his girlfriend Erica Breder, 25
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By SUZANNE MA, Associated Press Writer
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