Mazel To - v!
Happily Ever After
A real-life couple brings cheers for their own touching movie ending.
She'll Liebman Dorfman
Senior Writer
S
tacey Bortman thought she
was just going to spend a
casual evening at the movies
with her boyfriend, Jason Raznick, and
a couple of friends on Dec. 22.
But following a viewing of Rocky
Balboa at the Palladium 12 in
Birmingham, she realized something
much more life altering was happening.
To Stacey's astonishment, shortly
after the film ended, she found herself
watching a big-screen showing of a
photomontage of herself and Jason,
her boyfriend of two years, set to
music meaningful to the couple.
And if the video's background tunes
with words like "you give my life direc-
tion" and "you light up my life" weren't
enough of a clue of what was to come,
the rest was a giveaway.
Once Stacey read a poem on the
screen that began with "Dear Stacey,"
which included words like "I look for-
ward to the memories we will make"
and ended with "Marry me," there was
no question she was receiving a very
public marriage proposal.
"I knew we would be getting engaged
soon," said Stacey, a teacher at Beverly
Elementary School in Beverly Hills. She
specializes in teaching children with
autism. "But Jason told me the ring
Feb. 2
Andrea (Caplan)
and Allyn Okun of
Chicago are pleased
to announce the birth
of their son, Joshua
Caplan (Yehoshua
Okun
Chaim). Big sister Zoe
Ruth, 2 1/2, was excited
to welcome Joss home. Thrilled grand-
parents are Margo and Wally Caplan of
West Bloomfield and Gayle Reitman of
Hollywood, Fla. Joss is also the great-
grandson of the late Vivian Chaifetz, the
late Abraham Kahn and the late Ruth and
Bernard Caplan. Joss is named after his
paternal great-grandfather Jack Okun.
Jan. 25
Sarah (Meyers) and Matthew Roth
of Huntington Woods are thrilled to
announce the birth of their son, Ethan
58
March 1. 2007
wouldn't be ready for two months, and
text-messaging me if the coast was
I definitely did not expect to be getting
clear."
engaged that night."
He even ordered snacks, something
Even with the relief Jason felt after
he normally wouldn't have done, but "I
the smooth showing of his two-minute
needed to kill three minutes, so I was
video, he still had one more emotional
adamant about buying popcorn."
move to make. With
The theater did
the 120 or so movie-
a "test run" of the
goers in the theater
video for Jason
as witnesses, Jason
the day before the
braved the unknown
proposal and he
on the movie house
asked his friends,
floor and got down
Marla and Brian
on one knee and
Young of West
proposed. "Right at
Bloomfield, to
that point, I noticed
arrive before the
our parents were at
movie on "the
Stacey Bortman and Jason Raznick
the theater," Stacey
day" to save seats
became engaged at the movies.
said. "Then everyone
up front, away
started clapping. The lady behind us
from familiar faces.
was crying."
"People kept telling me I would be
And so was Stacey. "When she finally
nervous during the movie," Jason said.
stopped," Jason said, "she said 'yes."
"But I thought that wouldn't be the
After that, Jason could finally relax.
case because the movie would take my
But the planning that led up to that
mind off it. Boy, was I wrong!"
point had been nerve-wracking. "There
He remembers that during the 102-
were little things I had to time per-
minute film, he continually checked to
fectly," said Jason, a vice president at
make sure Stacey's engagement ring
Tricap Holdings in West Bloomfield.
was still in his jacket pocket and hadn't
"We had to come to the theater when fallen under his seat. "I had to go to
it was pitch black, after the previews
the bathroom, not once, but twice," he
were over, so Stacey wouldn't see her
said. "And Stacey complained several
family or mine hidden in the back. I had
times that my right foot incessantly
my watch cued to the exact time we
was tapping the ground, and thus my
needed to walk in, but I also had people
knee kept shaking.
"Also, I kept trying to talk to her dur-
ing the movie, but she wanted me to be
quiet."
The couple, both 28, live in
Birmingham and have their wedding
set for July at Temple Israel, West
Bloomfield.
Jason asked only a few friends and
some family to be at the theater for
the surprise proposal, including his
parents, Mel and Elaine Raznick of
West Bloomfield, and Stacey's parents,
Phil and Nancy Bortman of Farmington
Hills. "It was so meaningful and special
that our families were there to see us
get engaged," said Stacey, who was
clearly touched by Jason's gesture.
But Jason purposely did not invite
too many people. "I wanted Stacey to
be able to enjoy telling her friends," he
said.
She also will be able to show them
because the entire proposal was caught
on tape by Marla Young, who hid
Jason's video camera in her purse dur-
ing the movie. "Some day," Stacey said,
"we'll be able to show our kids exactly
how we got engaged." II
Charles (Eitan Barak). Welcoming Ethan
home is excited big sister Anna Ryan, 3.
Sharing in their joy are grandparents Rena
and Ronald Meyers of Southfield and
Susan and Richard Roth of Bloomfield
Hills. Ethan is named for his maternal
great-great aunt Evelyn Ross, paternal
great-grandfather Charles Dodge, and
maternal great-grandmother Becky
Meyers.
Pat and Norman Rosen of Bloomfield
Hills, and the late Sheila and Sidney Cohen
of West Bloomfield. Great-grandfather
is Harold Ordin of Walled Lake. Seth is
named in loving memory of his paternal
grandfather Sidney Cohen and his mater-
nal great-uncle David Ordin.
Seel
Jan. 23
Drs. Debbie (Borowski) and David
Seel of Bloomfield Hills are thrilled
to announce the birth of their twins,
Sophia Meredith and Lillie Katelyn.
Cautiously welcoming them home are
3-year-old big brother Jack and 3-year-
old big sister Madison. Extremely proud
grandparents are Claudia and William
Borowski of Rochester Hills and Phyllis
and Allen Seel of Bloomfield Hills. Sophia
is named in loving memory of her mater-
nal great-grandmothers Sylvia Kaplan
and Sophie Borowski, and paternal great-
grandmother Shirley Seel-Steinberg. Lillie
is named in loving memory of her great-
aunt Lillian.
Jan. 22
Dana (Rosen) and Andrew Cohen of
Farmington Hills are thrilled to announce
the birth of their son, Seth David (Set
David). Welcoming him home is big broth-
er Jonah Bradley. Grandparents are Rita
and Robert England of Sylvan Lake, Mary
To view Jason Raznick's marriage
proposal video and his fiancee
Stacey Bortman's reaction, go to:
youtube.com/watch?v=3hMnZ2mNy_A.
Dec. 27
Melissa (Meyers) and Paul Gedrich of
Oak Park announce with much love the
birth of their beautiful daughter, Adyson
Grace (Esti Gavriela). Excited big brother
is Blake Nathan, 2 1/2. Thrilled grand-
parents are Rena and Ronald Meyers of
Southfield, Dolly and Mike Murley of Fair
Haven and Hugh Gedrich of Southfield.
Adyson Grace is named in loving memory
of her paternal great-godfather Al Lublin,
her maternal great-grandmother Gladys
Daitch and her Hebrew name is for her
maternal great-great aunt Evelyn Ross.