Michael John Paul Banks, 27, was stranded on a small piece of rock about 90 feet up.
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The good news for Mr Banks was that his girlfriend said yes; the bad news was that he got stuck.
Look, it’s sweet this dude wanted to give his girl a huge, romantic proposal, but climbing a cliff with no harness is a tad questionable.
Banks used the spectacular backdrop to propose to the love of his life via his iPhone’s FaceTime app. She said yes. “He couldn’t go any direction, on a sheer ledge, with his feet dangling 80 feet (24 metres) off the ground”.
Safely. Fire dept. rescue Morro State Park ranger Dale Kinney said Banks climbed up the south side but tried to get down by climbing the more precarious eastern side of the rock.
A video posted to Facebook by the City of Morro Bay shows firefighters from a helicopter crew lifting Banks to safety.
Banks is also facing charges for illegally hiking the risky cliff, which is a protected landmark, and has claimed the lives of at least four hikers in recent years.
Gailey described Banks as “unnerved” by the rescue, but on a positive note, Banks’ girlfriend accepted the proposal, he said. He was arrested on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine.
Finally, the city had some recommendations for the next would-be Romeo: “We propose folks have their wedding in Morro Bay and look at the fantastic Morro Rock from below it or from Morro Beach”.
“[Banks] took a different trail down, much steeper”, Gailey explained to AP of the scary scene.
Morro Rock has been the site of several fatal falls over the years.
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Fire captain Todd Gailey’s advice for other people making proposals?
