NEW YORK — The first visitors allowed into the Statue of Liberty’s crown in nearly eight years made the climb Saturday on an Independence Day journey laden with symbolism of freedom, national pride — and for one couple, romance.
Aaron Weisinger, 26, got down on one knee on the crown’s small floor, pulled out a diamond ring and proposed to his girlfriend, Erica Breder. Stunned, Breder squeezed her eyes shut as tears rolled down her cheeks and whispered, “Yes.”
Cheering the Walnut Creek, Calif., couple, fellow visitors also felt the gravity of the occasion.
“I feel the Statue of Liberty represents global unity, a sign that our world must unify,” said Barbara McLean, 57, of Atlanta.
After ascending the total of 354 steps to the statue’s crown, she sang “America the Beautiful” — her deep voice resonating off the low, rounded ceiling of the crown’s interior — before fellow visitors broke into a hefty applause.
The statue was closed to the public after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The base, pedestal and outdoor observation deck were reopened in 2004.
Tickets currently on sale are for visits in the fall and beyond.
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