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Husband Surprises Wife on 20th Anniversary with Heartfelt Classroom Proposal

Faran Fagen and Kara in 2004, and 2024. {courtesy}

The adage, “history repeats itself,” often carries a negative, foreboding connotation, serving as a caveat.

Such is just the opposite with Coral Springs resident Faran Fagen, who, on Dec. 11, surprised his kindergarten teacher wife, Kara, at her Ramblewood Elementary School classroom by presenting her – in person – with flowers to mark their 20th wedding anniversary.

Call it a hat trick because this was the third time Faran successfully pulled off this identical classroom surprise. He was not acting alone in transforming a kindergarten classroom into a romantic stage setting. Four of his wife’s young charges walked in one at a time, each carrying heart-shaped signs (with red roses, of course), each with one word in toto spelling out, “Will You Marry Me?”

To put it all in perspective, it was precisely 20 years ago, on Dec. 11, 2004, that Faran proposed to Kara that she live in her classroom at Cypress Elementary School.

“She was surprised, really surprised,” he said. “She had no clue. She had no idea I was thinking of proposing. We had been going out for about a year and a half.”

Faran admits, “I was nervous. I was hoping she’d like it.”

Fast-forward the calendar: It had been precisely 10 years since his original proposal. On the same date in 2014, he replayed the scenario at her kindergarten class at Forest Hills Elementary School in Coral Springs. With four students carrying the “Will You Marry Me?” question, he surprised his now wife of 10 years again.

Of course, he couldn’t pull off his big surprises unassisted. “I needed help from the inside,” he said, adding he enlisted the help and support of fellow educators and school administrators.

True to form, on Dec. 11, Faran reenacted this romantic ritual with the help of four students and Kara’s work associates.

“I had no idea,” said Kara. “I had no clue. I had no idea he was going to recreate the proposal.”

However, today’s more advanced technology almost erased the element of surprise.

“I pulled into her school parking lot at 12:30,” he said, adding he needed to be in her classroom at exactly 12:40. That’s when something unexpected occurred. His wife received a message alert on her phone informing her his car was in the parking lot. “Ten or 20 years ago, that couldn’t have happened,” he said.

Kara and Faran during his first proposal in 2004. {courtesy}

“She only thought I was gonna surprise her with flowers,” he said. His plans went through without a hitch.

Faran presented her with a flower bouquet on each of the three occasions. This time, the flowers were white and purple, symbolizing a 20th wedding anniversary. He explained that purple signifies wisdom and white purity.

Elisa Leonard is Kara’s fellow kindergarten teacher, who Faran enlisted as one of his co-conspirators. “Faran called me back in November,” she recalled. “He said, ‘ “This is what I want to do. Can you help me?’ “

She selected the four kids who would assist. The children were in P.E. while Kara was in the classroom. Before Kara came to bring the children back to class, Leonard put the sign-bearing quartet into another room.

Kara and Faran in December 2024.{courtesy}

Then, the four came into the classroom with signs in hand. Faran entered, got down on his knee, and proposed. “She had no clue,” Leonard said. “It’s so romantic. He showed up in this beautiful suit.”

In addition to Leonard, Faran credits Patricia Godinez, a fellow teacher of his wife, who helped ready the classroom.

Principal Dacyany Ibarrondo was also complicit in the plan. “In 2024, how can I not be involved in such a demonstration of love?” she said.

Ibarrondo said the youngsters understood what was going on. “One little girl went home and told her mom she wanted a husband.”

And the girl’s mom had a little wedding dress for her daughter to play with, said the principal.

“In today’s world, we need a ‘feel-good’ story that shows love is still around,” Ibarrondo said, adding that coincidentally, some of the teachers had their anniversary the day before, but their husbands forgot.

Faran is currently a teacher at Pembroke Pines Charter School.

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Martin Lenkowsky

Martin Lenkowsky moved to Coral Springs from NYC in 1982. He has a bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College. He has been both writer and editor for a number of South Florida publications since 1983. He considers features writing his specialty.