Daniel Doney is a true romantic.
The 23-year-old slept outside Michael Hill Jeweller in Papamoa last night to claim a $925 ring for just $1 so he could propose to his long-term girlfriend Samantha Wright tonight.
"I love her a lot," Daniel, who spent 22 hours sitting outside the store, told the
Bay of Plenty Times this morning as he huddled in a blanket on the concrete.
"She's definitely worth it."
He wasn't alone in trying to bag a bargain in the annual Michael Hill promotion. About 7.30am today around five others hoping to snap up some bargains had joined Daniel outside the Papamoa store. Stores at Bayfair and in Tauranga also reported people lining up overnight.
A diamond cluster ring is up for grabs at $1 to the first person at stores throughout the country.
When Samantha told Daniel ``half-joking' about the promotion his ears pricked up.
Unbeknown to Samantha the Satara orchard management student has been trying save for an engagement ring over the past few months.
"It's been hard because we're saving to go overseas as well, so I had to try and save the money for the ring as well without her knowing."
The pair were friends ``forever' before they started going out about five years ago. Earlier this year they had started seriously talking about marriage.
So after getting the nod from his boss to take the day off Daniel parked up outside the Fashion Island store about 11am yesterday.
He was equipped with a chair, blanket and pillow, jacket, torch and plastic container just in case he wasn't able to sneak off to go to the toilet. His sister joined him overnight for support and Samantha brought him dinner and breakfast and cuddled up next to him for a few hours.
"He loves me, he's doing it for me because he knows I want it," Samantha, 21, said.
Daniel plans to pop the question to Samantha this evening, although he's keeping those details secret.
