thedrifter
11-20-07, 04:16 AM
Kids help veteran propose to teacher
By DENISA R. SUPERVILLE
HERALD NEWS
PATERSON -- Battle-tested Marine Erik Luker had already dodged bullets in Iraq and navigated through landmines in Afghanistan.
But on Tuesday, the hardest thing the West Paterson police officer had to do was propose to his girlfriend of more than two years, Jaclyn Wagniere -- in front of dozens of students at School 24 on Market Street, where he spoke about his military experience to elementary school students. "The war was easier than this, being a police officer is easier than this," Luker said as he paced the library before the presentation. "Everything is way easier than this."
After talking about his Marine experience for about 20 minutes and answering questions from students about everything from whether anyone in his unit died to wake-up times, Luker then asked for volunteers to come forward to learn how to march like Marines.
Luker, 26, enlisted the help of Wagniere, 24, who has been a special education teacher at the school for three years, to help demonstrate the Marine march to the students. Later, he instructed her to turn around because the students wanted to do something very special for her.
While her back was turned to the five student volunteers, Luker pulled out a plastic bag and distributed signs to each of them. On the signs were the words that added up to the big question: "Will you marry me?"
Then Luker assumed the position, dropped to one knee and held the glittering diamond ring aloft.
About 12 members of both their families scurried out of a room in which they had been hiding during the presentation. Cell phone cameras were pulled out. People leaned forward to get a better look.
It was some time before Wagniere recovered from her shock and answered, "Yes," to cheers, applause and Luker's evident relief.
"I thought it was a dream," Wagniere said, explaining her moment of silence. "I really had no idea."
The proposal plan was hatched at the beginning of the school year, after Luker asked Wagniere's father, Jack, for his daughter's hand in marriage during the summer.
"He is old-fashioned," Nancy Wagniere, Jaclyn's mother, said of Luker. Nancy Wagniere was kept in the dark until Monday, out of concern that she would somehow spill the news of the marriage proposal.
Luker contacted Wagniere's instructional assistant, Norma Vitale, on Monday to enlist her assistance for the Veterans Day-related presentation in the school's library.
He also called JoAnne Riviello, principal at School 24, to tell her about the addendum to Tuesday's schedule. Riviello was happy to oblige.
"I was like "Erik, I have done just about everything, but this one is the first," Riviello said. "They are both sweethearts of people."
The pair met in 2005 at a West Paterson summer camp, where Wagniere was a counselor. Luker had recently returned from duty in Iraq and he had visited the camp to talk to the children about his military experience, Luker said.
By the time Luker left the camp, he was convinced that he would marry Wagniere, although he had barely said more than a greeting to her, they both recalled.
"We knew there was definitely a spark between us," Wagniere remembered. It took another month or two before they finally went out on a dinner date at Castalia Trattoria in West Paterson, he said.
Luker served two tours of duty as a sergeant with the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. He served in Afghanistan from November 2001 to March 2002, and in Iraq from March 2003 to June 2003, Luker said.
Family members say the two were made for each other.
"The teacher and the police officer – a storybook romance," said Luker's brother, Kyle. As for the wedding date, Luker said he will leave the planning of that matrimonial milestone to his fiancee.
"I think I did a lot of the planning for the proposal," Luker said. "She can do the planning for the wedding."
Reach Denisa R. Superville at 973-569-7135 or superville@northjersey.com.
Ellie
By DENISA R. SUPERVILLE
HERALD NEWS
PATERSON -- Battle-tested Marine Erik Luker had already dodged bullets in Iraq and navigated through landmines in Afghanistan.
But on Tuesday, the hardest thing the West Paterson police officer had to do was propose to his girlfriend of more than two years, Jaclyn Wagniere -- in front of dozens of students at School 24 on Market Street, where he spoke about his military experience to elementary school students. "The war was easier than this, being a police officer is easier than this," Luker said as he paced the library before the presentation. "Everything is way easier than this."
After talking about his Marine experience for about 20 minutes and answering questions from students about everything from whether anyone in his unit died to wake-up times, Luker then asked for volunteers to come forward to learn how to march like Marines.
Luker, 26, enlisted the help of Wagniere, 24, who has been a special education teacher at the school for three years, to help demonstrate the Marine march to the students. Later, he instructed her to turn around because the students wanted to do something very special for her.
While her back was turned to the five student volunteers, Luker pulled out a plastic bag and distributed signs to each of them. On the signs were the words that added up to the big question: "Will you marry me?"
Then Luker assumed the position, dropped to one knee and held the glittering diamond ring aloft.
About 12 members of both their families scurried out of a room in which they had been hiding during the presentation. Cell phone cameras were pulled out. People leaned forward to get a better look.
It was some time before Wagniere recovered from her shock and answered, "Yes," to cheers, applause and Luker's evident relief.
"I thought it was a dream," Wagniere said, explaining her moment of silence. "I really had no idea."
The proposal plan was hatched at the beginning of the school year, after Luker asked Wagniere's father, Jack, for his daughter's hand in marriage during the summer.
"He is old-fashioned," Nancy Wagniere, Jaclyn's mother, said of Luker. Nancy Wagniere was kept in the dark until Monday, out of concern that she would somehow spill the news of the marriage proposal.
Luker contacted Wagniere's instructional assistant, Norma Vitale, on Monday to enlist her assistance for the Veterans Day-related presentation in the school's library.
He also called JoAnne Riviello, principal at School 24, to tell her about the addendum to Tuesday's schedule. Riviello was happy to oblige.
"I was like "Erik, I have done just about everything, but this one is the first," Riviello said. "They are both sweethearts of people."
The pair met in 2005 at a West Paterson summer camp, where Wagniere was a counselor. Luker had recently returned from duty in Iraq and he had visited the camp to talk to the children about his military experience, Luker said.
By the time Luker left the camp, he was convinced that he would marry Wagniere, although he had barely said more than a greeting to her, they both recalled.
"We knew there was definitely a spark between us," Wagniere remembered. It took another month or two before they finally went out on a dinner date at Castalia Trattoria in West Paterson, he said.
Luker served two tours of duty as a sergeant with the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. He served in Afghanistan from November 2001 to March 2002, and in Iraq from March 2003 to June 2003, Luker said.
Family members say the two were made for each other.
"The teacher and the police officer – a storybook romance," said Luker's brother, Kyle. As for the wedding date, Luker said he will leave the planning of that matrimonial milestone to his fiancee.
"I think I did a lot of the planning for the proposal," Luker said. "She can do the planning for the wedding."
Reach Denisa R. Superville at 973-569-7135 or superville@northjersey.com.
Ellie