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She said yes!

| 23 Dec 2016 | 01:27
    Photo provided by Mike DelVecchio Mike Miller gets down on one knee proposing to his girlfriend, Jillian Albrecht, during Fire Company 4's Santa ride last Sunday, Santa is watching, at left, and Albrecht's mom, Andrea, in red, is thrilled.
    Photo provided by Mike DelVecchio Mike Miller gets down on one knee proposing to his girlfriend, Jillian Albrecht, during Fire Company 4's Santa ride last Sunday, Santa is watching, at left, and Albrecht's mom, Andrea, in red, is thrilled.
    Miller and Albrecht are known to their friends as Sheldon and Amy, the popular couple on the show "The Big Bang Theory."
    Miller and Albrecht are known to their friends as Sheldon and Amy, the popular couple on the show "The Big Bang Theory."
    She said yes!
    Photos by Mark Cranston Jillian Albrecht gives her mom a hug after her boyfriend Mike Miller proposed.
    Photos by Mark Cranston Jillian Albrecht gives her mom a hug after her boyfriend Mike Miller proposed.
    Fire Company 4 escorted Santa up Orleans Lane Sunday morning, but there was more than candy canes to give out.
    Fire Company 4 escorted Santa up Orleans Lane Sunday morning, but there was more than candy canes to give out.
    Jillian Albrecht's family were thrilled to be part of the surprise.
    Jillian Albrecht's family were thrilled to be part of the surprise.
    Miller's family and friends were happy to be there.
    Miller's family and friends were happy to be there.
    The ring.
    The ring.
    Jillian Albrecht was stunned by Mike Miller's proposal. He truly surprised her last Sunday as she and her family awaited Santa's arrival on Orleans Lane.
    Jillian Albrecht was stunned by Mike Miller's proposal. He truly surprised her last Sunday as she and her family awaited Santa's arrival on Orleans Lane.

WEST MILFORD — Kids anxiously and excitedly awaited the arrival of Santa last weekend as he made his way through the township on Saturday and Sunday, with the assistance of some of West Milford's bravest. But it wasn't the kids who were most anxious, excited or surprised, as it turned it.
Firefighter Michael Miller, a member of Fire Company 4, had a surprise planned for his girlfriend of three years, Jillian Albrecht.
As the fire engine turned onto Orleans Lane a little after 9 a.m. Sunday, residents were outside waving and calling to the jolly elf. Miller and the rest of the fire fighters handed out candy canes to everyone. Kids jumped with glee, including Albrecht's three-year-old nephew, Jonas, who was there visiting to see Santa.
That wasn't the only reason Jonas and many others in Albrecht's family were there. They knew that Miller had a proposal planned, and so did Miller's family members who were hiding in the basement.
As the fire fighters pulled in front of 11 Orleans Lane, home of the couple's friends, a very nervous Miller hopped off the fire engine and walked up the driveway to where Albrecht was standing.

“I walked up to Jill and she was oblivious to what I was doing,” he recalled, still laughing with excitement a day later.
When he got down on one knee, the reality kicked in.
“I had no idea he was going to do that,” said Albrecht, 26, the following day. "We've talked about getting married but didn’t discuss when."
Miller said he’s been thinking about doing this for a year now. The 30-year-old has been a volunteer fire fighter since he was 16, first in Saddle Brook. He joined West Milford’s Company 4 when he and Albrecht bought their house here last year.
“I always knew I'd involve the fire company in some way,” he said, noting he got the idea on last year's Santa ride.
So he has been planning it for a year and never told Albrecht, which, after the initial surprise of a proposal, surprised her most.
“This whole thing was all his idea,” she said. “All the planning involved and he never said a word. I didn't think he could coordinate all of that!”
He did. And she said yes.
- Linda Smith Hancharick