Man swept away by wave in Bahamas had asked permission to marry girlfriend before death, family says

A Michigan man who was swept away by a massive wave in the Bahamas had asked his girlfriend’s family for permission to marry her hours before he died.

Athena Williams, 20, and her boyfriend Jonathan Brussow, 19, were vacationing in the Bahamas with her family when Brussow went missing last Monday, FOX17 reported. Brussow was hiking with Williams’ brother on a tall cliff when a huge wave swept them into the ocean on Eleuthera Island. His body was found on Friday.

“When we started dating he always told me, he said: ‘Since the first time I saw you, I knew I was gonna marry you,'" Williams told FOX 17. “We had everything planned out already. He had our whole wedding planned out, too and we weren’t even engaged or anything.”

Williams said Brussow had asked her family for permission to marry her hours before he went missing. While Brussow was on the hike with Williams’ brother, he also brought up his plans.

“When they were there, Jonathan also asked Eric if it was OK if he could marry me," Williams said. "I know that and the one thing Eric did tell me that Jonathan said was, ‘Come have a seat with me, buddy,' and then it just kind of happened, I guess.”

Williams recalled her brother telling her Brussow was missing. She added that she “pretty much knew” her boyfriend was gone, but didn’t give up hope. Local authorities helped search for Brussow in the following days.

“If there’s anybody who could get out of a situation like this, it’s Jonathan," Williams said. “But the odds were absolutely against him. There was just no way he could have made it.”