Kate and Tyge

Posted Tuesday, February 17, 2009 9:49 AM

A FOURTH OF JULY PARADE TO REMEMBER FOREVER...
By Lisa Rosemore
Grand Rapids Herald-Review

If parade-goers were wondering why Friday’s Nashwauk Fourth of July parade came to a halt for a few minutes toward the end, wonder no more.

Tyge Blomberg, of Minneapolis, with assistance from his family and his hopeful in-laws-to-be, proposed to his girlfriend, Kate Garry of St. Paul, during the parade after stopping his Ford Saleen Mustang in front of his grandparents’ home on First Street. A shocked yet happy and teary-eyed Kate said yes.

The idea was his mother’s idea, Tyge said later. The family was together around Christmas at his parents’ home in Pengilly, discussing how he could propose to Kate. Joen Blomberg suggested he drive his car in the Nashwauk Fourth of July parade and ask her during the parade.

It was perfect, said Joen, because last year’s Fourth of July celebration was the first time the family met Kate, who at that time had been dating Tyge for a couple months.

Tyge agreed it was a great idea as the Fourth of July was his favorite day of the year. His mother, a Savolainen, grew up in Nashwauk, and the family returned for the city’s huge Fourth of July celebration every summer.

He wasn’t sure, however, how to enter the parade.

“I didn’t know if you could just show up and enter or if you had to support a politician or what,” he said, laughing.

The plan started falling into place without Kate suspecting a thing. Tyge learned that he could line up with the vintage and hot rod cars prior to the parade’s start; he didn’t have to support or sell anything. He suggested to Kate that they drive the car in the parade, and she agreed. Kate had never been in a parade either and said she thought it would be fun.
“I could wear something red, white and blue,” she said, smiling.

In the meantime, Joen, with the help of her daughter-in-law, Naomi, and one of Naomi’s friends, painted placards, which they could hold up in front of the car when it stopped.
With three weeks left, Tyge brought his girlfriend’s parents into the plan. He asked his prospective father-in-law out to dinner to supposedly discuss pheasant hunting in the fall.

“I had an idea of what he really wanted to discuss,” said Kate’s father, Dan Garry, smiling.

With her father’s permission and blessing secured, all that remained was the parade itself.
As they started on the parade route, the nerves were there, Tyge said.

“The parade was going so slow,” he said. “The anticipation was going higher and higher.”

He wasn’t the only one who felt that way. The family was gathered, waiting and watching. As they realized it was getting closer to when the car would arrive, Candy Garry, Kate’s mom, gathered the family in a circle for an impromptu prayer. It was a spontaneous thing, she said later, but it just felt right as faith is a central part of both families’ lives.

As Tyge turned from Central Avenue onto First Street, coming closer to the planned stopping point, he said his leg was quivering as he would step on the clutch. Kate was oblivious to the plan and said later she had no idea what was about to happen.

“I was just observing, waving,” she said. “ had absolutely no idea what was going on. I saw the family, and all of a sudden, he stopped and I thought his car stalled.”

When Tyge got out of the car, his parents, Joen and Denny; Kate’s parents, Candy and Dan; and his brother and sister-in-law, Brian and Naomi Blomberg, ran out onto the street and flipped up cards that spelled out: “Kate will you marry me?” Tyge opened the passenger door and dropped down on one knee, holding out a diamond engagement ring.
Kate, who said she’s hard to surprise, admitted Tyge succeeded in surprising her.

“He gets out, and I was just confused,” she recalled. “I saw everybody rush into the street and I thought, They’re going to get hit. Then I saw the signs and he was down on his knee. I was shaking so hard. Is this really happening?”

As the couple hugged and kissed, the family members surrounding the car also began hugging each other and some wiped away a tear or two. With the parade moving farther and farther ahead, they jumped back in the car and Tyge sped away.

Kate said she had almost given up hope that Tyge was going to pop the question. They had discussed marriage and two occasions she thought he would ask soon but “a trip to Mexico and her birthday” had passed without a proposal. Tyge explained that was intentional, as he didn’t want to ask her “where it would be expected.”

“He couldn’t have planned it any more perfect,” she said. “This was the best day of my life. Hands down, it was awesome. A blessed day.”