By Krystal Woodard
For the Bellevue Reporter
The phrase “love at first sight” is a cliche that only a select few actually experience. For Brett Smith and his fiance, Kristen Stone, the adage rings true, they just didn’t know it at first.
Smith and Stone began dating in high school and after about five and a half years, he decided it was time to ask her to marry him. He wanted the proposal to be at a special place.
In late January, Smith contact Amy Hart, the president of Triangle Pool and asked if he could use the pool for this special occasion.
“I tried to explain to him that the because it was the off-season, the pool was completely unmaintained. It was green, half-way down, and had pine needles everywhere,” said Hart. “But, even after he looked at it, he still wanted to propose there.”
Despite the condition of the pool, Smith was determined to propose at triangle pool because that was were he had first laid eyes on Stone, and not five and a half years ago, but when they were three-years-old.
Early on in their relationship, the couple would joke about the possibility of knowing each other when they were younger, since they both grew up in Bellevue. About a year and a half ago, Smith and Stone were watching home videos of him at Triangle Pool taking swimming lessons when Stone recognized herself swimming next to him.
“I could not believe it, there right next to me in the pool was a little 3-year-old version of the woman I now sat next to,” said Smith. “Kristen and I had crossed paths, but not briskly in a park or while we sat in strollers, but standing shoulder to shoulder bobbing up and down learning to swim.”
When it came time for Smith to propose to Stone, he knew that only one place would do: Triangle Pool.
“Triangle was so important to me for a number of different reasons. After-all it was the first place we met, only we didn’t know that until we were both 21 years old and three and a half years into our relationship,” said Smith. “It is also a place where I like to think, in a small way that my Mother was able to meet Kristen.”
Smith’s mother passed away when he was 11, and never had the opportunity to meet Stone.
After hearing the story, Hart agreed to let Smith use the closed pool for his proposal.
“[I thought] it was the most romantic and giving way to propose,” said Hart, “As well as a reminder to us in the community that Triangle Pool is woven into the fabric of our youth in the community.”
Norm Ives and Jeff French, Triangle Pool board members who oversee facilities, cleaned up the pool deck and made some arrangements to make the proposal a success.
Smith was surprised at the promptness and willingness of the Triangle Pool board members to make this proposal a reality.
“I cant say enough about the Triangle Board members and how wonderful they are, they are truly amazing,” Smith said.
On Feb. 12 Smith proposed to Stone at Triangle Pool with a background of the gazebo covered in white Christmas lights, candles, scattered red rose petals and a table for two. His father stood on the side with a video camera taping the entire thing.
“The first thing Kristen did was cover her mouth,” said Smith. “I grabbed the little black box knelt down beside the very spot we had swam 19 years earlier and asked if she would marry me.”
Stone said yes and the two will be married on Aug. 20.
“If we are still in the area we will absolutely have our kids swim at Triangle,” Smith said. “It is an icon of Bellevue, and you never know, maybe they will meet some special there as well.”
Krystal Woodard is an intern at the Bellevue Reporter.
Triangle Pool is a heated, outdoor pool located at 1919 108th Ave. SE in Bellevue. It has been a part of the Bellevue community since 1961 when it opened to the public. Since it’s opening, up to 200 families a year enjoy membership at the pool.
Families can swim, attend swim lessons, and participate in the variety of events and classes offered with a pool membership as well as have an opportunity to be on the Tigersharks Swim Team.
For more information about Triangle Pool, see www.trianglepool.
