Proposal Goes Viral Thanks to Volleyball Team's Heartfelt Help (Exclusive)

NEED TO KNOW

• Trent Clinton Sr. proposed to Faith Espinosa with help from strangers handing her roses on April 11, at Jackson Street Pier, in Sandusky, Ohio

• "Every single person helped create a memory I will cherish forever," Espinosa tells PEOPLE

• A video of the proposal went viral on TikTok with over 8 million views and highlights love, kindness and community involvement

A proposal went viral for being powered by strangers.

Days after Trent Clinton Sr., 25, popped the question to Faith Espinosa, 26, on April 11, at Jackson Street Pier, in Sandusky, Ohio, a video of the heartfelt proposal blew up on TikTok thanks to the sheer number of people who jumped in to help make it happen.

"Watch me realize that this is MY proposal ! 😂🥹," Espinosa wrote in an on-screen caption of the clip, which has amassed over 8 million views and 2 million likes since being posted on April 14.

Espinosa tells PEOPLE that she was under the impression that she was having drinks with her closest girlfriends — her mother, cousin, best friend and Clinton's aunt — before heading to a fish fry with a "dress to impress" dress code.

"I had no idea a proposal was actually about to happen," she says.

As Espinosa walked up, she heard Bruno Mars ' "Just the Way You Are" playing. Then a little girl sitting on a long concrete bench complimented her beauty and handed her a single red rose. Then another one did. And another, and another.

Espinosa looked up to see a long line of smiling strangers sitting on the bench, all with outstretched hands holding red roses for her.

"That was the moment it clicked that this was my special day unfolding right in front of me," she tells PEOPLE.

Initially, she thought that the first rose was just a "sweet" gesture. When she realized what everyone was really there for, she was flooded with happiness.

"In that moment, everything felt like it was moving in slow motion," Espinosa remembers. "My heart was racing, my hands were shaking and I was overwhelmed with happiness. Even through all the tears and emotions, I made it my mission to thank each and every person who personally handed me a rose while I was walking toward Trent. That meant so much to me because every single person helped create a memory I will cherish forever."

Clinton says that those who helped were a part of a girls' volleyball club, Air City Chix, from Beavercreek, Ohio, who happened to be in town for a tournament.

"After their game, they came downtown near the pier to grab something to eat and check out the water. While they were there, they asked my mother and godmother if they could stay and watch the proposal since it was about to happen," he explains. "My mother and godmother told them there were extra roses and asked if they'd like to be part of the special moment instead. They happily agreed, and that's how they became part of something we'll never forget."

As Espinosa got closer to Clinton, her bouquet grew and Mars' "Marry You" began playing. She says it was a "surreal" experience.

"The tears came instantly from a rush of emotions — pure shock, overwhelming happiness and the realization that I was about to be proposed to by the man I love," Espinosa tells PEOPLE.

Ahead of the proposal, Espinosa was admittedly "a little suspicious" because Clinton was texting her parents more often and her brother unexpectedly came into town from Philadelphia.

"Even through all the tears and emotions, I already knew for a very long time that whenever this day came, my answer would be yes," she says. "I knew early on that Trent was my soulmate, so saying yes felt like the easiest and most certain decision of my life."

Right before Clinton got down on one knee to propose, the couple's 4-year-old son handed Espinosa one of her final roses.

"He was wearing a hoodie that said, 'Mommy, will you share our last name?' and I completely lost it," Espinosa remembers. "Seeing my son included in such a meaningful way made the moment even more special and unforgettable."

When Clinton asked Espinosa to marry him, she was filled with "pure joy, gratitude and so much love."

"The moment he placed the ring on my finger felt surreal — like a dream I never wanted to wake up from," Espinosa says. "Being able to hug and kiss my now-fiancé afterward was the perfect ending to the most beautiful moment of my life."

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The couple met in Sandusky in 2019 through Clinton's cousin, who was Espinosa's college roommate and close friend at the time. The following year, they officially started dating.

The couple share two children, and say that their relationship is built on "genuine love, friendship, loyalty, and choosing each other through every season of life."

Clinton proposed at Jackson Street Pier not just for its beauty, but because it's a "special" place for them. He says, "It's somewhere we regularly go to unwind, connect and enjoy peaceful moments together, so it felt like the perfect place to create a memory we would never forget."

They can't believe their proposal video went viral.

"We're honestly still in shock, still in awe, and incredibly grateful for all of the love and support we've received from people around the world who simply love love," Espinosa says.

She continues, "It has also been really touching to see complete strangers celebrate with us and even help make the proposal possible. In a world where people often focus on negativity, this moment gave humanity a beautiful look and reminded us that kindness, love and community are still very real."

Read the original article on People