As a crocodile handler at the Australian Reptile Park in New South Wales, Australia, Billy Collett is used to taking risks on a daily basis. But this week, he took what could be his most nerve-wracking gamble yet when he got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend inside of a crocodile enclosure.
In a video posted to the reptile park’s Facebook page on Friday, Collett introduces the crowd to his girlfriend, Siobhan Oxley, and invites her to join him in the enclosure to help him feed a hungry 4.5-metre long crocodile named Elvis.
“Three years ago next week, I actually met the girl of my dreams,” Collett announced. “The girl I love more than anything.”
The reptile wrangler brandishes a stick in the pool of water where Elvis is submerged to attract the crocodile’s attention while he continues to gush about his girlfriend.
“The last three years have been the best years of my life,” he said. “It’s been bloody good.”
Collett then tells the crowd that Oxley is going to feed the large reptile as the audience chuckles. The bold handler proceeds to dangle a large hunk of fresh meat from a stick directly in front of Elvis’s jaws to coax it out of the water. After the crocodile snaps his teeth at the meat and crawls on to the grass, Collett orders him to stop and wait.
As the crowd waits in anticipation for the feeding, Collett does something unexpected. He turns his back on the dangerous reptile and abruptly kneels before Oxley.
“Siobhan, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, will you marry me?” Collett asks his stunned girlfriend.
Oxley tearfully accepts Collett’s unconventional proposal as the audience cheers and Elvis watches from a respectful distance.
After the couple enjoys a quick hug and a kiss, Collett breathes a sigh of relief as he goes to retrieve the patient crocodile’s meal from the side of the enclosure.
“Oh man, that was worse than feeding the crocodile,” Collett joked.
Best. Proposal. Ever.
Posted by The Australian Reptile Park on Thursday, November 3, 2016
