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WEBVTT DETAILS, ALL NEW AT 6:00. TERACE: FOR THE LAST EIG YEARS, A FLORIDA PHOTOGRAPHER MADE IT HER MISSION TO FIND COUPLE THAT SHE SNAPPED PHOT OF RIGHT HERE AT THIS VERY LOCATION. >> SOMEBODY HAS TO RECOGNIZE THEM AND KNOW WHO THEY ARE. TERACE: IN DECEMBER OF 2010, JOY GROOVER WAS IN THIS COURTYARD TAKING CHRISTMAS PHOTOS WHEN THE MYSTERY COUPLE CAUGHT HER EYE. >> I LOOKED OVER AND THERE WAS GUY DOWN ON ONE KNEE. AND I THOUGHT I WOULD SWING THE CAMERA AROUND THAT WAY WHILE WE ARE TAKING A BREAK AND GOT SOME SHOTS. SHE WAS CRYING, THEY WERE HUGGING, IT WAS REALLY SWEET. TERACE: BUT THE NEWLY ENGAGED COUPLE DISAPPEARED BEFORE SHE COULD INTRODUCE HERSELF, AND EVERY YEAR ON DECEMBER 12 SHE POSTS THE PHOTOS TO FACEBOOK HOPING TO FIND THEM. WELL, CHRISTMAS CAME EARLY FOR GROOVER WHEN SHE RECEIVED A CALL FROM TEXAS. >> IT WAS AWESOME. WE TALKED FOR AN HOUR, AND WE TALKED ABOUT EVERYTHING. TO HEAR THEIR VOICE WAS JUST, IT WAS INCREDIBLE, IT WAS INCREDIBLE TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER. TERACE: DAVID AND ASHLEY BARNOSKY CURRENTLY LIVE IN CYPRESS, TEXAS. A CLOSE FRIEND SAW THEIR PHOTOS ON THE NEWS AND IMMEDIATELY REACHED OUT TO THEM ON FACEBOOK. >> HEY, WERE YOU ENGAGED IN FLORIDA ABOUT EIGHT, 10 YEARS AG AND I SAID UMM, YES, YEAH, IT WAS EIGHT YEARS AGO, WHY? AND THEN SHE SENT ME A LINK TO A NEWS STORY. TERACE: THEY WERE IN SHOCK, TO SAY THE LEAST. >> MY INITIAL REACTION WAS, IS THIS REA WAIT, THAT’S US, SO IT’S GOT TO BE REAL, BUT HOW IS THIS A THING? HOW IS IT IN HOUSTON, EIGHT YEARS LATER? AND I WAS INCREDIBLY THANKFUL TO HAVE PICTURES OF A MOMENT WE HAD NEVER SEEN. WE DIDN’T HAVE THAT MOMENT CAPTURED. TERACE: AND THE REST IS HISTORY. >> I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT A LOT, NOW WHAT HAPPENS? AND I THINK WHAT HAPPENS NOW IS I LOOK BACK ON DECEMBER 12 WITH FOND MEMORIES AND NOT FRUSTRATION OF WHERE ARE THEY. NOW THAT THEY HAVE THE PHOTOS I KIND OF FEEL LIKE THAT WAS THE BOW ON THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT TERACE: THE BARNOSKY’S SAY THEY ARE GOING TO FRAME THEIR NEW ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS AND EVENTUALLY SHARE THE UNIQUE STORY BEHIN THEM WITH THEIR TWO DAUGHTERS. IN

Advertisement Florida photographer finds mystery couple in engagement photos after 8-year search Joy Groover took photos of a proposal and has been searching for the couple for years Share Shares Copy Link Copy

For the last eight years, a Florida photographer has made it her mission to find a couple she snapped photos of at Bethesda By the Sea in Palm Beach. “Somebody has to recognize them and know who they are,” freelance photographer Joy Groover told WPBF 25 News.In December of 2010, Groover was taking Christmas photos with a family when the mystery couple caught her eye. “I looked over and I saw there was a guy down on one knee. I turned around that way while we are taking a break and got some shots,” Groover said. “She was crying, they were hugging it was really sweet.” But the newly-engaged couple disappeared before she could introduce herself. Every year on December 12th she has posted the photos to Facebook hoping to find them.“Every year I think this is going to be the last year I’m going to do it. And then something just propels me forward to say, 'no just one more year to just put it out there, because they do exist in the world somewhere,'” Groover said. Well, Christmas came early for the young photographer when she received a call from Texas.“It was awesome…I was absolutely elated. But talking to them, they’re so cool. It was almost like I have known them. We talked for an hour and we talked about everything. To hear their voice was just incredible. It was just incredible to put it all together,” Groover said. She said the Barnosky’s were like old friend’s she hadn’t talked to in a long time. “My initial reaction was, 'is this real?' Wait that’s us, so it’s got to be real? But how is this a thing? How is it in Houston, years later?," Ashley Barnosky said. David and Ashley Barnosky currently live in Cypress, Texas. David planned the trip to Palm Beach to pop the question.“We both at the very least were in shock. After having those photos floating out there. But also they took so long to find us. Ashley was the first one to learn about it,” Mr. Barnosky explained. Ashley found out Groover had been searching for them after a close friend saw their story on the news and immediately reached out to them on Facebook.“She was like 'Hey were you engaged in Florida about 8-10 years ago?' And I said ummmm yes… Yea it was 8 years ago…why?.... and then she sent me a link to a story that aired here in Houston of our proposal,” Mrs. Barnosky said. The couple exchanged multiple emails with Groover to confirm they were indeed “the mystery couple”.“I was incredibly thankful for the pictures. For a moment we had never seen. We didn’t have that moment captured," Ashley Barnosky said.Groover says she is glad her eight-year search is finally over. “Now what happens? I thought about that a lot. I think what happens is now, I look back on December 12th with fond memories and not frustration. Now that they have the photos I kind of feel like that was the bow on the Christmas present.” The Barnosky’s say they are going to frame their new engagement photos and eventually share the unique story behind them with their two young daughters.