A Surprise Proposal at Drop Zone: How One Woman Rappelled Into Marriage

Sandi and Kevin wear sunglasses, sit on two red chairs outside with water in the distance.

In 2010 Sandi Caputo was driving to work when a radio ad on 99.9 Bounce FM for Easter Seals Drop Zone came on.  As she listened, she realized it was the perfect activity to celebrate her 50th birthday. It might be an odd choice for someone with a fear of heights, but Sandi wanted something challenging and adrenaline-pumping to mark her 50th year.  

She convinced her friend, who would be celebrating her 60th birthday around that time also, to come along with her so she wouldn’t have to make the 272-foot descent herself.   

To prepare herself, Sandi went to Vertical Adventures, an indoor rock-climbing facility. “If I didn’t do that training, I’d still be on the roof,” Sandi laughs. “It wasn’t enough to fully prepare me for how I’d feel standing on top of the building, but at least it was something.”  

Sandi and Kevin hug each other and pose for a picture.

The day of the event, Sandi was shocked at the amount of support she received. Her friends, family, gym trainers and colleagues showed up to support her and watch her rappel. Her boyfriend of 10 years, Kevin, was also there to show his support. He was the only one who knew what would happen when she finally touched down on the ground below. 

Even though her fear of heights had her questioning her decision to participate, Sandi was determined to follow through.  

“When I was up there, I was petrified. I thought, ‘what am I doing?’” Sandi shared. But she knew Kevin, and her family and friends were at the bottom waving signs, cheering her on.  

“That motivated me. It was very helpful. And then it was just a matter of getting down. The hardest part was pushing off. Who is going to go to a 17-story building and hang off the side? It was crazy!”  

When Sandi reached the ground, she was elated but still full of nervous energy. She was handed a sign that said “I did it!” and posed with her friend for a picture. Then she felt a poke in her ribs, and turned to her friend, only to realize it wasn’t her friend who had poked her. It was Kevin. And he was down on one knee, holding out a ring. 

“If you can get over your fear of heights, I can get over my fear of commitment,” he joked.  

As her friends and family looked on, and the building she had just rappelled down loomed over them, Sandi said, “yes!” to her love of ten years.  

Sandi and Kevin stand on a golf course on a bright sunny day, both wearing hats and holding their golf clubs.

“I was trying to find some way to propose to her that she wouldn’t expect,” Kevin says. “It was much more public than I wanted it to be, but she was completely surprised.”  

To Manitobans who are curious about Drop Zone, Sandi says it’s a very cool experience. “You can raise money for a good cause, of course, but it’s a bucket list item too. It’s not something you get to do every day! And who knows…without Drop Zone, maybe Kevin would never have proposed,.” she laughed. 

Want to make your own Drop Zone memories?

Create your own memories at Drop Zone on August 23, 2022 and help support programs for Manitobans with disabilities. Donate and fundraise for a rappeller, or be a superhero and rappel down the 272 foot Manitoba Hydro building yourself!