Trolley-car proposal lights up holidays

What seemed like a casual Wednesday evening trolley ride through town with close friends and family turned into a night to remember for one Kalispell couple.

Melissa Thomas and Adam Reynolds, who had been dating for about three years, had joined their families for a holiday tour of town with Montana Trolley Co. Christmas lights illuminated the cloud-covered night as snow lightly fell throughout the Flathead Valley.

As the trolley approached a dark home on Garland Street, a homeowner came out to plug in his Christmas lights. The crowd of 20 on the trolley parted in the middle so that everyone on the trolley could see the event underway.

Once the man in the house connected the string of lights on the side of the house, the array of lights read: “Will you marry me?”

Thomas looked down to see Reynolds on one knee as he and family members anxiously waited for her answer.

She said yes.

“It was really romantic to put that much thought into it,” said Reynolds’ sister Christa Clark, who had assisted him with the proposal. “She got that happy story that everyone hopes to get when someone asks you to marry them.”

Thomas was the only one on the trolley not aware of the planned proposal. Both Thomas’ and Reynolds’ parents and grandparents were present for the event.

About a week ago, Clark said, Reynolds got in touch with the trolley car driver, who knew a homeowner who would be happy to assist with the proposal. Reynolds built the Christmas light sign.

The betrothed couple live in Kalispell; Reynolds, 25 works at Alpine Sprinklers and Landscaping, while Thomas, 22, is a nurse assistant at Heritage Place.