VAIL, Colo. – Ryan Sutter's colleagues in the Vail Fire Department were stunned to watch him propose to Trista Rehn on the finale of ABC's The Bachelorette.
"Not too much throws us for a loop, and I guarantee you that we're all sitting here with our mouths open," Capt. Jim Spell said. "We're thrilled that Ryan's happy."
Rehn, 30, chose Sutter, 27, over other suitors Wednesday night in the six-week reality series. He asked her marry him, and she said yes.
"In 30 years, this town never ceases to surprise the heck out me. My firefighter just proposed marriage in front of 30 million people," Spell said.
Sutter was in New York Wednesday, but Spell said he'd been back on the job for weeks since the finale was taped and had given no hint of the outcome.
"He worked two days ago," Spell said. "He has kept it a very close secret."
Since the series began, the fire department has been deluged with phone calls, e-mails, cookies and pictures.
"These are women that are in love with Ryan, or feel deeply for Ryan — this has gotten way past us," Spell said. "We're simple firemen."
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox