proposal goes viral

Original tweet sees 3.1 million views, 800,000 comments

By Barbie Porter

Editor

Big Turkey Tom was a witness to a grandmother’s transformation from sassy to overjoyed. 

For many summers Margeaux Graham would visit her grandmother Claire Courneya at her lake cottage in Frazee. When her granddaughter came to visit with her long-time beau, Michael Jansky, Courneya got to business.

“She was being sassy as soon as I woke up,” Jansky recalled with a laugh. “I went downstairs and she started asking me: ‘What’s the hold up? When are you going to ask her to marry you? Then, she suggested I find someone else.”

What Courneya didn’t know was that Jansky knew he was going to ask for her granddaughter’s hand in marriage about six months after they began dating.

The two met at a brewery in Florida where they both worked. They shared a love for trivia and after two years of answering questions together they became best friends. Jansky took himself out of the friend-zone and proposed they transition their friendship into a relationship. She agreed.

“Early on, after we started dating, we were having a late night snack,” he said. “She was eating pretzels and beer cheese soup. When she stuck both fingers in the cup of beer cheese soup to make sure she got all of it out of the cup, I thought, this could be the one.”

The second sign that she was indeed the one came about three months into their courtship. Jansky said by then he realized she knew all the peaks and valleys of his life­—there were no masks to wear or secrets to share, and love like that is like a wild rose breaking through the concrete.

Knowing one found the love of a lifetime is easy compared to dreaming up a way to sweep the person off their feet with a memorable marriage proposal. Jansky thought and thought as time passed. 

When he learned his lady love wanted them to visit her grandmother recently, wedding bells rang in his imagination. He knew the moment had finally presented itself and the iconic Turkey Tom would play a part in the event. 

“It sounds weird,” he said. “Our relationship in a nutshell is weird. Many want to propose in a nice restaurant or at the beach, but for us,  we like ridiculous.”

Jansky also appreciated the fact that her grandmother and family could be there for the occasion. 

“I wanted to include her grandma,” Jansky said. “After all the summers Margeaux spent there, entire summers  during high school and college, I knew she was her grandma’s favorite grandchild, so I thought that would be a good idea.”

All jokes aside, Jansky’s stomach was full of butterflies as he triple checked to make sure the engagement ring hadn’t been lost before they reached Big Turkey Tom. 

He had asked Mary Graham and her husband for their daughter’s hand in marriage a week before the proposal. They gave their blessing and even helped ensure grandma would be present for the proposal.  After Jansky had been interrogated by grandma earlier that morning, his future mother-in-law wrangled up family to go visit grandpa’s grave site. After the visit, she suggested stopping at Big Turkey Tom for a few pictures.

“She (grandma) didn’t want to go to the Turkey,” Graham said. “She was tired and wanted to go home.”

Graham reminded her mother of the past year when the family visited a bunch of iconic statues in the lakes area, and said Turkey Tom is always a fun visit. Little did she know her granddaughter’s life was about to change and that dilly dallying boyfriend was ready to join the family.

Graham had her mother, daughter and daughter’s boyfriend sit on the bench in front of the largest turkey statue in the world. In addition to taking pictures she was recording a video. Jansky took a knee and asked his future grandmother to help ask a very important question.

“She started screaming and hugging us and gave me the biggest, wettest kiss on my check of all my life,” he said. 

He was able to get the proposal out and the ring on his fiance’s finger between the hugs from grandma.

Pictures and video of the special moment went viral on Twitter. Graham reported the original tweet reached more than 3.1 million people and has more than 800,000 interactions. She said “everyone is commenting on grandma, the turkey and the mullet.”

“The whole thing was hysterical and a great way to celebrate the day,” Graham said. “They love unique and different, and I think he did a great job with the proposal.” 

It was Jansky’s first time in Frazee, but the memory of the moment shared with his fiance, her family and big Turkey Tom ensures the city will also hold a special place in his heart. 

Original tweet sees 3.1 million views, 800,000 comments

By Barbie Porter

Editor

Big Turkey Tom was a witness to a grandmother’s transformation from sassy to overjoyed. 

For many summers Margeaux Graham would visit her grandmother Claire Courneya at her lake cottage in Frazee. When her granddaughter came to visit with her long-time beau, Michael Jansky, Courneya got to business.

“She was being sassy as soon as I woke up,” Jansky recalled with a laugh. “I went downstairs and she started asking me: ‘What’s the hold up? When are you going to ask her to marry you? Then, she suggested I find someone else.”

What Courneya didn’t know was that Jansky knew he was going to ask for her granddaughter’s hand in marriage about six months after they began dating.

The two met at a brewery in Florida where they both worked. They shared a love for trivia and after two years of answering questions together they became best friends. Jansky took himself out of the friend-zone and proposed they transition their friendship into a relationship. She agreed.

“Early on, after we started dating, we were having a late night snack,” he said. “She was eating pretzels and beer cheese soup. When she stuck both fingers in the cup of beer cheese soup to make sure she got all of it out of the cup, I thought, this could be the one.”

The second sign that she was indeed the one came about three months into their courtship. Jansky said by then he realized she knew all the peaks and valleys of his life­—there were no masks to wear or secrets to share, and love like that is like a wild rose breaking through the concrete.

Knowing one found the love of a lifetime is easy compared to dreaming up a way to sweep the person off their feet with a memorable marriage proposal. Jansky thought and thought as time passed. 

When he learned his lady love wanted them to visit her grandmother recently, wedding bells rang in his imagination. He knew the moment had finally presented itself and the iconic Turkey Tom would play a part in the event. 

“It sounds weird,” he said. “Our relationship in a nutshell is weird. Many want to propose in a nice restaurant or at the beach, but for us,  we like ridiculous.”

Jansky also appreciated the fact that her grandmother and family could be there for the occasion. 

“I wanted to include her grandma,” Jansky said. “After all the summers Margeaux spent there, entire summers  during high school and college, I knew she was her grandma’s favorite grandchild, so I thought that would be a good idea.”

All jokes aside, Jansky’s stomach was full of butterflies as he triple checked to make sure the engagement ring hadn’t been lost before they reached Big Turkey Tom. 

He had asked Mary Graham and her husband for their daughter’s hand in marriage a week before the proposal. They gave their blessing and even helped ensure grandma would be present for the proposal.  After Jansky had been interrogated by grandma earlier that morning, his future mother-in-law wrangled up family to go visit grandpa’s grave site. After the visit, she suggested stopping at Big Turkey Tom for a few pictures.

“She (grandma) didn’t want to go to the Turkey,” Graham said. “She was tired and wanted to go home.”

Graham reminded her mother of the past year when the family visited a bunch of iconic statues in the lakes area, and said Turkey Tom is always a fun visit. Little did she know her granddaughter’s life was about to change and that dilly dallying boyfriend was ready to join the family.

Graham had her mother, daughter and daughter’s boyfriend sit on the bench in front of the largest turkey statue in the world. In addition to taking pictures she was recording a video. Jansky took a knee and asked his future grandmother to help ask a very important question.

“She started screaming and hugging us and gave me the biggest, wettest kiss on my check of all my life,” he said. 

He was able to get the proposal out and the ring on his fiance’s finger between the hugs from grandma.

Pictures and video of the special moment went viral on Twitter. Graham reported the original tweet reached more than 3.1 million people and has more than 800,000 interactions. She said “everyone is commenting on grandma, the turkey and the mullet.”

“The whole thing was hysterical and a great way to celebrate the day,” Graham said. “They love unique and different, and I think he did a great job with the proposal.” 

It was Jansky’s first time in Frazee, but the memory of the moment shared with his fiance, her family and big Turkey Tom ensures the city will also hold a special place in his heart.