(NewsNation) — For Angelica May, ringing the golden bell to signal the end of her breast cancer treatment was already a monumental moment. But her longtime boyfriend had one more surprise in store.
The 27-year-old North Carolina woman finished her final chemotherapy session Mar. 20. As she walked down the hospital hallway, she was greeted by family, friends and a romantic proposal from Imeek Watkins, her boyfriend of 10 years.
“When I seen him down there on the red carpet, I knew, ‘Oh my God, this is about to happen,'” May said during a Sunday interview on “NewsNation Prime.” “I literally almost passed out.”
Watkins, 30, had been secretly planning the hallway proposal for about a month, obtaining the ring while keeping it hidden from his “best friend.” He chose the timing as May would be surrounded by loved ones celebrating her remission.
“We’ve been together 10 years … It’s been a rocky 10 years and I just felt like this would be the perfect time,” Watkins said.
The couple met as teenagers and persevered through May’s cancer diagnosis and treatment, which she said taught them about partnership and resilience.
“We have an understanding that no matter what happens, nobody can come between us,” May said. “A lot of people don’t want to put in that work to make [a relationship] last.”
Looking ahead, the couple plans to “have a beautiful wedding” and ultimately relocate from North Carolina to Texas to “have bigger and better plans out there,” according to Watkins.