VALDOSTA —
Air Force Lieutenant Chris Piercy asked his girlfriend, Heather Toth, to marry him in a one-of-a-kind way.
Stationed in Adana, Turkey, at Incirlik airbase, Piercy planned for Toth to visit him for two-weeks, over Christmas and New Years.
When Heather arrived in Adana, the couple planned to experience a hot air balloon ride and guided tour of Cappadocia, accompanied by others from the airbase.
“I originally planned to propose during New Years Eve fireworks in Istanbul,” Piercy said. “I decided I couldn’t wait that long.”
Toth is thankful Piercy was able to propose, despite the inclement weather that morning.
“I didn’t think it would go up, there was too much fog but the balloon ended up going up anyway,” Toth said.
As the couple floated into the sky, they reached an elevation of one vertical km (3,000 ft), hovering over the mountains of Cappadocia. Piercy popped the question and Toth accepted his unique proposal.
“It almost didn’t happen. It was a foggy Christmas morning and our hot air balloon trip was delayed for over an hour,” Piercy said. “When we finally did get the green light, I was shaking with nerves.”
As Toth reflects back on the special moment, she feels as if she should’ve known it was coming.
“He gave plenty of hints, I should’ve picked up on it.” Toth said. “Like I lost a ring and he said, ‘We will have to get you another one.’”
The two met last April, only about a month after Piercy returned home from Afghanistan. He learned about a week after they met that he would be leaving for Turkey in August.
“The summer flew by, but included some of the best moments of my life,” Piercy said.
As they enjoyed some of their last moments together before his departure, Piercy reflected back to the beginning.
“I picked her up on my motorcycle, and we went for sushi at Masatos, followed by a bike ride and some ice cream at Sonic,” Piercy said. “Our second date was a day trip to St. Simon’s. We walked the entire day, and I believe that was the day I realized I may have found the woman I wanted to marry.”
Before he left, Piercy took Toth to Mount Holly, N.C., to meet his family.
“We took my motorcycle on a ride around Blue Ridge Parkway, spent a day at Carowinds Theme Park riding rollercoasters, and went ‘rodeo rafting’ at the White Water Rafting Center in Charlotte,” Piercy said.
As the two enjoyed their eventful trip to N.C., Toth was excited to get to know Piercy’s family.
“I fell in love with his family and they fell in love with me,” Toth said.
Even though their relationship was short prior to their engagement, the two do not regret taking a chance on love.
“Long distance relationships are no joke, and I usually wouldn’t recommend them. However, my relationship with Heather has not been difficult,” Piercy said. “We talk about everything with one another. You know, trust is precious and rare in our modern world of instant gratification.”
Piercy is stationed in Turkey for 15 months and will be returning to Valdosta in November. While he is away, Toth is finishing her sophomore year at Valdosta State University, majoring in business management.
Before the couple wed, Piercy wants Toth to always remember how much she means to him.
“Heather, you’re my best friend and I love you more than you could ever know. You make me happier than I have ever been in my entire life,” Piercy said.
With no idea where his next assignment will be, Piercy appreciates Toth being by his side.
“I miss her each and every day, but I thank God for this opportunity because I also feel like this challenge is strengthening our relationship in preparation for lifelong marriage,” Piercy said.
The two plan to get married April 5, 2014, at First Baptist Church, in Piercy’s hometown of Mount Holly, N.C.
Local News
Related Photos
-
When Air Force Lt. Chris Piercy asked his girlfriend, Heather Toth, to marry him, they were both carried away — in a hot air balloon. Contributed photo
Discussion
Air Force officer proposes to girlfriend in hot air balloon
- Local News
-
-
VECA recognized at VSU
Rising juniors from the Valdosta Early College Academy (VECA) were recognized at Valdosta State University Wednesday night as the first group of students to begin earning college credit while still in high school.
-
Businesses raise funds for Oklahoma disaster
By now, we’ve all heard about the tragedy in Moore, Okla., a mile-wide, F5 tornado with winds of more than 200 miles per hour carved through 17 miles over a span of 50 minutes on Monday afternoon.
-
Southwestern State Hospital to close
One of Thomas County’s largest employers — at more than 700 people — and a longtime regional state mental hospital will close Dec. 31.
-
Search for survivors continues
Helmeted rescue workers raced Tuesday to complete the search for survivors and the dead in the Oklahoma City suburb where a mammoth tornado destroyed countless homes, cleared lots down to bare red earth and claimed 24 lives, including those of nine children.
-
Curator offers arts a helping hand
If you’ve been to the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts in the past four years, you have seen the quiet art of Bill Shenton.
-
Albino gators visit Wild Adventures
Two rare albino American alligators have joined the other gators at Wild Adventures for the summer.
-
Officers wound man in shootout
A Lanier County man was wounded Saturday during an exchange of gunfire with lawmen, according to a Lanier County Sheriff’s Office press release.
-
Woman fights to live after cancer
To be whole again, the desire that sometimes overwhelms chair-bound Mandy Painter, fuels the Realtor each day through walking lessons during physical therapy and it's also what could see her through a cutting-edge program in Boston, where world-class neurologists can reawaken her cerebellum and see the mother of three to her feet again.
-
North Ashley Street closed following accident
A Sport Utility Vehicle traveling north on North Ashley Street drove into a telephone pole Monday morning, resulting in the closure of the road.
-
Gornto extension half complete
The Gornto Road extension project is more than half-way complete, and could be finished ahead of the one-year deadline contractors were given when the project was approved Oct. 11 by the Valdosta City Council.
- More Local News Headlines
-
