And they say that romance is dead. A Michigan man recently proposed to the love of his life during an aquarium dive with a shark tooth of all things.
Most people would probably be focused on breathing and trying not to get eaten by a shark. Deep diving under the water isn't my definition of the perfect proposal spot. But who am I to judge? It was the perfect spot for David Balasa and his girlfriend, Haley Wiewiora. The Michigan natives got engaged on Dec. 15, 2025, during an "Out to Sea Shark Dive" at the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield.
According to People, Balasa used a shark tooth instead of a ring to pop the question. The experience at the aquarium puts visitors in a submerged steel cage.
You get to come face-to-face with sharks.
Michigan Man Uses Shark Tooth
"I had no idea where we were going," Wiewiora told the News-Leader. "When it comes to trips, I am the planner, I am the packer. He gets to be the little vacation princess, and he doesn't really have to worry about it. But, I mean, he had every minute planned for our trip."
She also added, "I, for sure, wasn't expecting the proposal to happen while we're in our Speedos. I was not at all expecting it to be an underwater proposal. He used to always say he'll do it when the time is right. I did not know that that was what he meant, but it just kind of made sense for us. I mean, we made a promise to each other that whenever it rains, we go outside and dance in the rain."
Balasa decided to use a shark tooth instead of a ring because he was scared that he might lose it underwater. But make no mistake, there was an engagement ring. The piece of jewelry used diamonds from Wiewiora's grandmother's ring and her late brother's birthstone.
"I could just tell how much he takes note of how important my family is to me," Wiewiora told the outlet. "We not only got to do really exciting, cool, new things, but we also still got to have a semblance of home, even though we were hours and hours away from home."
