Dakota Meyer plans to marry Bristol Palin; announcement made on social media
Kentucky Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer announced on social media Saturday that he plans to marry Bristol Palin, daughter of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the unsuccessful Republican nominee for vice president in 2008.
Other stories on the engagement: e! online | CNN | People magazine
Meyer posted about the engagement on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
"I'm definitely the luckiest guy ... to be able to spend the rest of my life with Bristol Palin!" Meyer said on his Facebook page.
The post included a photo of him with Palin, a former contestant on the television show Dancing with the Stars.
Palin also posted excited comments about the engagement on her blog, along with a photo of the ring. On Facebook, she said "Cannot wait to marry this man really the luckiest girl in the world!!" with several pink hearts and a photo of her and Meyer kissing.
Efforts to reach Meyer, who grew up in Adair County, were unsuccessful on Saturday.
However, the former Marine, who has said he went through some dark days because of his combat experiences in Afghanistan, talked about how happy he was in a later Facebook post.
"I always heard people say "when you meet the right one, you'll know," Meyer said. "I never understood that until now. That, coupled with the fact that Marines aren't trained to stand around and let the grass grow under their feet led me to now.
Engaged!!!!!!! ?????????? http://t.co/duDfS4gmB1
— Bristol Palin (@BristolsBlog) March 14, 2015
"Coming back from Afghanistan there were days I thought I may never be happy again, and I know there's a lot of you out there who know that feeling," Meyer said. "We only have one life to live and we have to do our best to live it the right way, and Bristol makes me a better man."
Meyer said he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with Palin and her young son Tripp.
"For the first time in a long time I can honestly say the best is yet to come!" said Meyer, who is 26.
Palin, 24, who lives in Alaska, said on her blog that Meyer had come there last year to film a television show with Sarah Palin. Meyer and Bristol Palin had visited each other in their home states since, and he is "wonderful" with her son, Palin said.
Palin said Meyer proposed to her at a Rascal Flatts concert.
I'm definitely the luckiest guy ever to be able to spend the rest of my life with bsmp2 #shesaidyes https://t.co/vQ2alLhD6F
— Dakota Meyer (@Dakota_Meyer) March 14, 2015
"He's so romantic!" she said. "The lead singer, Gary LeVox, dedicated 'Bless the Broken Road' to us, and then Dakota got down on one knee and proposed!
"It's amazing to see what happens when you place everything in life in God's hands," Palin said.
After getting pregnant as an unmarried teen, Palin took part in work to reduce teen pregnancy. She also speaks against abortion and has written a best-selling book.
President Barack Obama presented Meyer with the Medal of Honor in 2011 for his actions during a battle in Afghanistan in 2009.
Meyer, then a 21-year-old Marine corporal, was part of a unit ambushed by Taliban fighters, according to the Marine Corps.
Meyer braved intense fire to go to the aid of pinned-down U.S. and Afghan troops, according to the official account of the battle.
The Marine Corps said Meyer saved the lives of other soldiers. However, he has spoken of his deep sense of loss because he was not able to save four members of his team who were killed in the firefight.
Meyer was the first living Marine to receive the nation's highest military honor in nearly four decades.
Meyer later left the service. His Facebook page says he operates Dakota Meyer Enterprises in Campbellsville, which does construction work.
This story was originally published March 14, 2015 at 11:14 AM with the headline "Dakota Meyer plans to marry Bristol Palin; announcement made on social media."