An American man has tragically drowned during an underwater marriage proposal while on vacation at a Tanzanian resort.
Steven Weber, Jr. tragically lost his life during an elaborate, underwater marriage proposal, late last month, in what his girlfriend, Kenesha Antoine, described as the “cruellest twist of fate imaginable”.
According to multiple reports and footage posted by Antoine, the pair were staying in a wooden cabin with an elaborate underwater bedroom (pictured above) at the Manta Resort, Pemba Island, Tanzania.
Antoine revealed in a recording posted on Facebook Weber had swam underwater and held a handwritten note against the bedroom window, before flipping over the page and presenting a ring.
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On one side, the note written by Weber read: “I can’t hold my breath long enough to tell you everything I love about you. BUT… Everything I love about you I love more every day!”
And on the other: “Will you please be my WIFE. Marry me???”
Weber is then seen swimming out of frame. He failed to return to the surface.
“There are no words adequate enough to honor the beautiful soul that is Steven Weber, Jr. You were a bright light to everyone you encountered. You never met a stranger, and you brought so much joy to so many people. You were kind, compassionate, you regularly made me cry with laughter, and you showered me with a love like none I’d ever experienced,” Antoine said in her post.
“You never emerged from those depths, so you never got to hear my answer, ‘Yes! Yes! A million times, yes, I will marry you!!’ We never got to embrace and celebrate the beginning of the rest of our lives together, as the best day of our lives turned into the worst, in the cruelest twist of fate imaginable. I will try to take solace in the fact that we enjoyed the most amazing bucket list experiences these past few days, and that we both were so happy and absolutely giddy with excitement in our final moments together.”
Weber’s family told CNN it was still unknown how he had drowned. The outlet added that a GoFundMe page has been set up by Weber’s family to help with funeral expenses.
The Manta Resort issued a statement obtained by CNN confirming the tragedy and death of Weber.
“Our sincerest condolences, thoughts and prayers are with his girlfriend, families and friends impacted by this tragic accident,” Matthew Saus, the resort’s CEO, said.
He added that local authorities were investigating.
The news outlet added the State Department had confirmed that a US tourist died in Tanzania but gave no further details.
“We offer our sincerest condolences to the family on their loss. We stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance,” the State Department told CNN.
Featured image: © Manta Resort
