Mike van Reekum tells PEOPLE that seeing partner PK Creedon's parents at his surprise proposal "meant everything" after losing his father when he was younger
Credit: PK Creedon (2)
NEED TO KNOW
- Mike van Reekum became emotional during partner PK Creedon’s proposal after realizing Creedon’s parents had secretly flown in for the occasion
- Van Reekum, who lost his father when he was younger, says seeing his future in-laws there “meant everything”
- The couple, who met on Tinder 13 years ago and have now been married for four years, say family support has been central to their relationship
PK Creedon was only halfway through his proposal speech when he casually pointed toward the crowd gathered behind him.
At first, Mike van Reekum didn't seem to register what he was seeing. Then he spotted Creedon's parents standing in the room and immediately broke down in tears.
The emotional moment, captured in a TikTok video, has resonated with viewers who watched van Reekum repeatedly ask, "Are you kidding me right now?" as the surprise sank in.
"Words can't really explain it," van Reekum tells PEOPLE. "When I saw his parents had flown in, it hit me."
@pkcreedon
Wait when he sees my mom and dad though😠#lovestory #loveyou #lover #loveislove #proposal #engaged #engagement #husband #gay #lgbtq #couple #relationship
♬ These Memories – Hollow Coves
The emotional reaction wasn't just about the proposal itself. For van Reekum, seeing his future in-laws standing there transformed an already life-changing moment into something even more meaningful.
"I lost my dad when I was younger, so seeing them there in that moment meant everything," he says. "I've been so lucky to have the relationship I do with his parents, and in that instant, it made everything feel so much more real."
Creedon, a 34-year-old marketing consultant, says including his parents was never a question. Long before he started planning the proposal, he knew they needed to be part of it.
"Having them there was always part of the plan," he says. "They're my best friends and have loved me unconditionally even after I came out to them 16 years ago."
Credit: PK Creedon
The proposal itself required some strategic thinking. Creedon says one of the unique challenges of a long-term same-sex relationship is figuring out who will ultimately pop the question.
"My husband is so amazing, but he has a hard time keeping a surprise because he gets so excited," Creedon says with a laugh. "So I knew I wanted to be the one to surprise him."
That surprise became easier to pull off because the couple had previously agreed they wouldn't get engaged until they bought a house. Looking back, Creedon admits he may have encouraged that timeline for his own benefit.
"We had agreed we wouldn't get engaged until we bought a house," he says. "But I'll admit I only made him agree to that so I could plan something special for him."
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The proposal may have been years in the making, but the couple's love story started much earlier. 13 years ago, they matched on Tinder and spent months building a connection through Skype calls because they lived in different cities.
Before they had even met face-to-face, Creedon remembers telling his parents something that sounded a little unbelievable at the time.
"I remember finishing one of those calls, walking into my parents' room and telling them, 'I think I just found my husband,' " he says.
Credit: PK Creedon
Soon after, van Reekum flew 2,000 miles to meet Creedon and his family for the very first time. By the second day, the pair were officially dating, and by the third, van Reekum had already said "I love you."
Two months later, they moved into a studio apartment together.
"If you want to test a relationship early on, get a studio apartment," Creedon jokes.
Years later, that early prediction found its way into his proposal speech. As he got down on one knee, he shared the story with van Reekum and his parents, bringing their journey full circle.
For both men, however, the proposal was just as much about family as it was about romance. They say they are deeply aware that not every LGBTQIA+ couple experiences the same level of acceptance they have received from their loved ones.
"We're incredibly lucky to both have such loving and accepting parents," Creedon says.
The support extends beyond their individual relationships with their in-laws. Over the years, their families have become intertwined, creating what the couple describes as one large, blended family.
"My mom and Mike's mom even roomed together on a family cruise we took with my extended family last month," Creedon says. "We truly feel like one big, blended family where everyone just believes in 'love is love.' Period."
Credit: PK Creedon
The surprises didn't end with the proposal. Afterward, van Reekum learned that he and Creedon had secretly been working toward the same goal all along.
Months before the engagement, van Reekum had asked Creedon's parents for their blessing and shared plans for a proposal of his own. They listened carefully while keeping one very important secret.
"I'll never forget what PK's mom said after the proposal," van Reekum recalls. "She told us, 'Sorry, when you were telling us your plan, we couldn't tell you PK already had one in motion!' "
Today, when the couple watches the video back, they find themselves emotional for different reasons. Van Reekum still tears up when he reaches the moment his eyes land on Creedon's parents, while Creedon finds himself replaying his husband's reaction.
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"For me, there are two moments," Creedon says. "The first is when Mike keeps asking, 'Really?!' The surprise, love and excitement in his voice in that exact moment is something I'll never forget."
Four years into marriage, the couple says the same qualities that carried them through a long-distance courtship continue to strengthen their relationship today. Open communication remains at the center of everything.
"We're so lucky to have such a solid foundation built on open communication," Creedon says. "There isn't a thought we have independently that we don't share with each other."
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