Marriage proposal turns deadly, bride-to-be drowns

by Tina Kells | December 5, 2008 at 11:06 am

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Tragedy struck a bride-to-be as a seaside marriage proposal went terribly wrong on an Oregon beach. The bride-to-be was swept away by the tides after her boyfriend took her to the beach for a romantic proposal on the beach. He never got to ask her to marry him or to place the ring he carried in his pocket on her finger.

This is one of the saddest personal stories I have read in a while. What should have been a moment of joy for this couple ended in horrific sadness.

Scott Napper planned to pop the question to Leafil Alforque, 22, at a spot near Neskowin Beach that got its name from couples ready to marry.

Napper said the tide had receded around Proposal Rock on Saturday when the couple began to walk to it. He planned to propose and give her the ring he carried in his pocket.

About 10 feet from the rock, a wave around 3 feet high suddenly came toward them.

"I turned into it to keep from getting pulled under it," Napper said.

By the time he turned to find Alforque, only 4-foot-11 and 93 pounds, she had been caught by the receding waters.

"She was about 30 feet away, getting swept away," Napper said.

The 45-year-old Silverton man tore off his jacket to get rid of any extra weight, and when he looked up again she was gone.

"That's the last I saw of her," he said Wednesday, breaking into tears.