I am so saddened by the news about a Filipina who just arrived here in the US, to marry an American she met online 3 years ago, who was swept by waves while in the Oregon coast, about to be proposed-to by her American boyfriend.
Theirs is not even one of those whirlwind romance—3 years (that’s about how long Clint and I’s online relationship before we got married). I know of some Filipinas who’ve let their American friend/boyfriend come and visit them in the Philippines in less than 6 months after their meeting online, and get married right away.
It makes me wonder whether Scott Napper’s instinct of self-preservation (instead of grabbing to protect the Filipina from the waves) is partly due to the lack of a strong bond/attachment with her. They’ve known each other 3 years, but through a long distance relationship; the physical connection wasn’t there in those 3 years. With the quickness of events, his mind didn’t instinctively thought of her.
I’m leaning towards no foul play but rather, a lack of judgment on the part of the American guy. The girl was new in the country, so he shouldn’t have brought her in Proposal Rock where even with the weather and all being good, is still an unfamiliar place to her. Clint and I went to the Oregon Coast shortly after our wedding and from looking out to the shore on our hotel room’s balcony, I’ve seen how treacherous those waves can be.
With their age difference, he probably genuinely loved her as she was quite a catch for him.
It shocks me just the same that she would come to a new country when he hadn’t even proposed to her (or maybe {I hope} he had and he just wanted to be romantic and propose formally).
Whatever the real story is, this is tragic.
