Land of Engagement: Surprise proposal marks Friends & Lovers Balloon Rally

RIO RANCHO — Feb. 15, 2026, is a day Luana Bilbao isn’t likely to forget.

“He lied to me!” she exclaimed as she walked out of the envelope of Air Rocky Top, a hot air balloon participating in the annual Friends and Lovers Balloon Rally in Rio Rancho.

She said she had just found out about her trip to New Mexico Wednesday when Jonathan Figueroa, her boyfriend of 7 1/2 years, told her he had a Valentine’s Day trip planned for them. The couple, who recently moved to Nashville from Miami, flew into Albuquerque Friday night.

But Figueroa had more in mind than just a simple Valentine’s Day getaway. He was secretly planning a proposal.

“Something on her bucket list was to see balloons take off,” Figueroa said when talking about planning for the proposal, which started in November. “I started looking around, and I saw this was on Valentine’s Day. It was perfect.”

He said he made contact with Kristelle Siarza Moon, chair for Albuquerque Aerostat Ascension Association (Quad A), on Reddit when he started asking about potential ways to propose. Not only could she recommend and event, but she told Figueroa, “I can do you one better,” he said.

That one better was a slightly delayed moment inside the balloon’s envelope — he had originally planned the proposal for Saturday, but weather prevented flying on the first day of the two-day rally. 

The couple walked inside, looked around and took some pictures from inside the balloon. Then, Figueroa went down on one knee and held out the ruby engagement ring as Bilbao’s hands flew covered her face in surprise. She said yes, the ring was placed on her finger, and the couple embraced before walking out to cheers and applause.

Shortly afterward, the couple was climbing into the balloon’s basket, ready for takeoff with Mark Yocom piloting.

“Thanks for flying with me, and congratulations,” Yocom said just before takeoff. “I’m so glad you said yes. It makes things much more comfortable."

But they weren’t the only ones marking a milestone in the park Sunday morning.

Cruz Davis-Martinez was donning a red cap and gown getting pictures taken for his upcoming graduation from the University of New Mexico in May. 

The psychology and art major from northern New Mexico was looking for something different for his photos.

“Everyone does it at the duck pond,” he said. While there’s nothing wrong with that, he said, he thought the balloons would be a nice change.

“I thought it would be unique. Balloons are something that cannot be missed,” he said.

As the morning warmed up a bit, Air Rocky Top was coming in for a landing at High Range Park, coming in smooth for the couple’s first ride.

“It was so fun. The views were amazing,” Bilbao said after exiting the balloon. 

By then, the idea of the engagement had settled in, saying the couple had been talking about the possibility.

“I never thought it would be New Mexico. I’d never seen a balloon before, and I never thought I would ride in one,” she said. “He surprised me with that. It was very sweet.”

Figueroa said he loved the flight, noting it was calmer than he thought it would be.

And despite the months of planning, he said part of the trip was a bit of a surprise for even him. “I didn’t know we were going to go up until two days ago,” he said, saying they had never even seen a balloon until 20 minutes before the proposal.

“It was absolutely beautiful. The desert landscape is like a painting from up there,” he said. “I can see why people come out here and stay.”

Once the balloon was packed up, Yocom had one more surprise for the couple.

He and the crew brought out cups and a bottle of champagne and gave a brief history of the origins of hot air balloons. He then recited the traditional balloonists’ prayer before toasting the couple. “Congratulations on your first flight. Congratulations on your first flight,” he said. “I hope you have many wonderful years in front of you.”

Land of Enchantment. Land of Entrapment. And now, for one couple at least, New Mexico has become the Land of Engagement.