- January 20, 2016
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The Southeast High School band braved a steady rain to help Lake Club's Kevin Swan ask Shaina Frisch a very important question on Oct 28 at the Mandeville Beer Garden in Sarasota.
Kevin's "Operation Proposal" began with the Southeast High School Marching Band coming down Lemon Avenue toward Mandeville Beer Garden.
When the band arrived at Mandeville Beer Garden, the students entertained the crowd, including Kevin and Shaina, by playing the Ohio State fight song and doing some dances.
The steady rain never seemed to bother the band, which launched into Kevin's and Shaina's favorite song by Train, "Hey Soul Sister."
Shaina held an umbrella over Kevin's head as she started to wonder what was up.
Kevin's mom, Julie Swan (right), managed to keep her son's secret.
Shaina clapped all through the Ohio State fight song and still wasn't real suspicious.
Then some mystery cards came out for members of the band.
Flipping those cards turned most of the crowd at Mandeville into a emotional water faucet.
The band members hoisted the question "Will You Marry Me?" even higher.
The tears started to flow as Shaina, who is a big Ohio State fan and thought she was attending a viewing party for the football game, was hit by the proposal.
Next to come was the ring Kevin presented to her.
The answer, obviously, was "Yes!"
Between tears, Shaina slipped on her ring and held the hand of her fiancé.
The couple's dog, Cash, decided to join the fun.
Attending the event were Kevin's forrmer Southeast High classmates Lindsey Ryan, Blake Guthrie, Kristen Varga, Ashlie Fulmer and Karen Tormey.
Kevin Swan visits with former classmate Ashlie Fulmer.
Shaina also got another thrill as her Buckeyes rallied to win the football game.
It was a day Kevin and Shaina always will remember, along with Kevin's parents Ken (left) and Julie (right).
Lake Club's Kevin Swan had it all planned, or at least he thought he had.
He sat in his chair Oct. 28 at Mandeville Beer Garden in Sarasota, awaiting the Southeast High School Marching Band, which was carrying an important message for his girlfriend, Lake Club's Shaina Frisch. Kevin called it "Operation Proposal."
A steady rain had delayed the band a bit, and in the meantime, the Penn State at Ohio State college football game had begun. Shaina is a huge Ohio State fan and she came to Mandeville believing the event, which drew about 25 of their friends, was supposed to be a viewing party.
While his friends kept looking up and down Lemon Avenue for the band, Penn State put two quick touchdowns on the board against Shaina's beloved Buckeyes. Shaina's good mood might take a hit.
This wasn't exactly going to plan. Of course, Kevin, a 2000 Southeast High graduate, knows things don't always go as planned. Diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive nervous system disease in 2012, he gave up his communications job and founded A Life Story Foundation. Every day he fights the disease which destroys nerve cells.
And then, the sound of drums.
Southeast's band, which accepted the assignment with less than two months to prepare, snaked down Lemon Avenue, drawing those in Mandeville outside. Shaina didn't think too much of it as the band played the Ohio State fight song, as after all, plenty of Buckeye fans were in the building.
But then, the band played Kevin's and Shaina's favorite song, "Hey Soul Sister" by Train. Something was up.
Band members flipped up a bunch of individual cards, each bearing a letter. "W-I-L-L-Y-O-U-M-A-R-R-Y-M-E-?"
Shaina began to cry. She was presented with an engagement ring, and slowly opened the case, then pressed her head about Kevin.
The answer was "Yes!"
