A ‘Touching’ Proposal: Man Pops Question Inside Pitch-Black N.J. Tunnel

JERSEY CITY, NJ — It’s a pitch-black, 80-foot, “crawl through” tunnel that tests the limits of a person’s claustrophobia and redefines what it means to “see.” It’s also the site of one of the best memories of a young Hoboken couple’s lives.

The Touch Tunnel at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City may seem an unlikely spot to propose to your girlfriend, but to 29-year-old software engineer Vincent Brandonisio, the idea had actually been in the works since his new fiancée , ToniAnne Barone, was a child.

“I really wanted to do something memorable and have her be completely surprised,” Brandonisio told Patch. “We’d been talking about visiting the Liberty Science Center… We pass it each time we drive from Hoboken to Staten Island, and every time ToniAnne always said, ‘I want to go back, I haven't been there since I was a kid.’ When we finally made plans to go, the idea popped into my head but I wasn't sure if it was feasible.”

And that’s when he got in touch with the LSC event planning team.

When the big day arrived, Brandonisio managed to catch his future fiancée completely off guard.

“I actually was panicking before going into the tunnel,” Barone, a 29-year-old senior product developer told Patch. “I wasn't able to complete it as a kid so I was really anxious about going in.”

But when Brandonisio assured her that he’d be in front of her the whole time, she decided to give it a shot.

“I was absolutely not relaxed throughout the tunnel and couldn't wait to get out,” Barone admitted.

When the lights suddenly flicked on, Barone figured that it was the end of the tunnel. But she was in for a surprise.

“I saw Vinny in front of me with rose petals on the floor and that's when it hit me what was going on,” she recalled. “I was so shocked and a huge smile came across my face. I couldn't believe it was happening… I'll never forget that moment.”

The pair – who first met as students at Staten Island Technical High School - told Patch that they don’t have a set wedding date, but are aiming for a December 2017 wedding… their favorite time of the year.

Photo 1: Liberty Science Center

Photo 2: ToniAnne Barone and Vincent Brandonisio

Send local news tips, photos and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com