This Couple Got Photobombed by a Famous Hippo and It Is Perfection
In October 2017, a visit to the Cincinnati Zoo turned into something far bigger than planned. A Cincinnati couple went to celebrate their one year anniversary and left engaged. What made the moment unforgettable was not a crowd or a setup, but an unexpected face pressed against the glass at exactly the right second.
On October 8, 2017, Nick Kelble and Hayley Roll stopped by the hippo viewing area to see one of their favorite residents. Roll later shared that they were waiting for their turn for a quick photo. She handed her phone to someone nearby, turned back around, and found Kelble on one knee.
As the picture was being taken, another guest arrived. Fiona, the zoo’s beloved baby hippo, surfaced right at the glass beside them. Her face landed perfectly in frame, close enough to look like she was part of the proposal itself.
The photo quickly made its way onto Instagram and then spread across news sites and social media feeds. There was no planning behind it; it was simply a matter of timing and a lot of luck. Roll even joked online that she was glad Fiona could be there for such a big day, which felt fitting given the couple’s longtime love for the famous hippo.
Why Fiona Was Already A Big Deal
The photobomb is more exciting because Fiona was not just a random zoo animal strolling by. She already had a full resume of celebrity accomplishments! Fiona was born at the Cincinnati Zoo on January 24, 2017, six weeks premature, and weighed about 29 pounds at birth. Zoo updates note that full-term hippos typically land in a much higher range, around 50 to 110 pounds.
That early story helped build a huge public following, with frequent updates that turned everyday growth milestones into must-see content. By the time Kelble proposed, Fiona had a recognizable name, an established fan base, and the kind of wholesome fame that makes people root for her like a sports team. So when she appears in a proposal photo, it doesn’t read like random luck, but like a cameo.
The Honest Photobomb
Many viral engagement moments feel staged, but this one feels accidental in a way that makes the couple look more relatable, not less. The proposal remains center stage, but Fiona introduces an additional aspect: a public moment that becomes even more public, with a witness who happens to be famous. Also, the setting helps. Zoos already run on shared attention. People line up, look through the glass, and react together. That built-in audience energy makes it feel less like a private performance and more like a memory stamped into a place. Fiona simply sharpened the spotlight.
A Proposal Photo That Will Never Get Old
Image via Getty Images/Nadore
The photos continue to circulate for a simple reason: they capture two kinds of joy at once. There’s the couple’s joy, which is the whole point. Then there’s the strange, funny bonus joy of a famous hippo showing up right on cue.
It also helps that the internet already views Fiona as a comfort celebrity, the kind that creates group chat replies and softens bad news days. Put that energy next to an engagement ring, and the result feels like the rare viral moment nobody has to argue about. It’s cute, clean, and impossible to replicate on purpose. And for Kelble and Roll, that’s the real win. Plenty of couples get a ring photo, but very few get one with Fiona.