Kissing Daredevils Get Engaged After Scaling Empire State Building — As ABC Anchors Joke 'Hope That's Not Travis and Taylor'
A daredevil couple climbed to the top of the Empire State Building, where the man proposed to his girlfriend.
July 1 2026, Published 3:30 p.m. ET
Move over, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce – another couple in love may have trumped your big weekend wedding by scaling to the top of the Empire State Building's massive roof antenna for what would turn out to be a wild engagement, RadarOnline.com can report.
After she said yes, the daredevil couple voluntarily climbed down, where they were promptly given some additional jewelry from cops – his and hers handcuffs.
Empire State Building Stunt
The pair initially unraveled a banner with a message about love.
Shortly before noon on Wednesday, July 1, Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus did their best King Kong and Jane impressions, climbing to the top of the New York skyscraper's antenna, which rises 1,454 feet above midtown Manhattan.
The pair was dressed completely in black and covered their faces with masks and helmets. Once at the top, they unfurled a giant banner with the message, "When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace," a quote largely attributed to rock legend Jimi Hendrix.
By this time, the famed tourist attraction's observation deck had been cleared of visitors, and several police and news helicopters circled overhead. But Beerkus was apparently just getting started.
'I Hope She Said Yes'
Ivan Beerkus dropped down to a knee to propose while on the top of the iconic building.
After the two climbed down to a wider platform, Beerkus pulled out a ring, startling even veteran reporters, like ABC News' Aaron Katersky, who described the scene to anchor Kyra Phillips.
"Oh dear god, Kyra, this guy is getting down on a knee? Perhaps proposing to this individual?" the stunned correspondent asked, while what sounded like applause could be heard in the newsroom behind him. "If it's a proposal, it's an elaborate one, and I hope she said yes, but it is undoubtedly going to end in their arrest."
Phillips joked, "I hope this isn't Taylor and Travis," before correcting herself. "But then again, he already proposed, so never mind. But they're clearly trying to overshadow a big weekend."
Swift and Kelce are expected to exchange their own "I dos" in just a few days at the nearby Madison Square Garden.
A Difference of Perspectives
Reporters described the wild scene.
The two were taken into custody by the NYPD and led away. Hours later, Nikolau posted the big news on her Instagram page, sharing a carousel of photos the newly betrothed snapped while on top of the world. In the comments section, users shared their happiness.
"That dude raised the bar on proposals, literally," one person posted, as another echoed, "Congrats y’all! You're Batman & Catwoman IRL."
One person equated, "Empire State Building engagement > MSG wedding," while a fourth boasted, "Now THIS is an Empire State of Mind."
Still, others were less impressed.
"Stupid stunt you guys pulled. Thanks for inconveniencing a lot of people on a brutally hot day. Including the NYPD," one critic slammed, as another tacked on, "Congrats on shutting the Empire State Building down for people who had tickets to visit. Very selfish."
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Till Death Do They Part
The couple celebrated their love, before climbing down and being taken away by cops.
Nikolau and Beerkus have gained an online following for their death-defying skyscraper climbs around the world. The two were also the subjects of the 2024 Netflix documentary, Skywalkers: A Love Story, which chronicled the couple's climb of Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, the world's second-tallest building at 2,227 feet.
The Russian couple has frequently posted photos of their stunts online, and are often seen standing perilously close to the edges of buildings and other structures.
Several of their photos feature the newly engaged couple hugging and kissing while on top of buildings.
