Doctor's second shot at proposal after earthquake

Dr Kenny Rao thought he had lost a $27,000 engagement ring in the Christchurch earthquake. Photo / Supplied

Kenny Rao gets a second shot at proposing today - one he never thought he would have after fearing his $27,000 engagement ring was lost in the Christchurch earthquake.

The hospital medical officer from Melbourne flew into Christchurch at the weekend, coincidentally when the city was shaken by a serious aftershock, to retrieve the ring he was forced to leave behind in a hotel following the devastating February 22 quake.

"We thought it was as good as gone really," Dr Rao told the Herald.

"(The hotel) was on Hereford Street, and a lot of buildings on Hereford Street were getting demolished, from what we heard. There were still aftershocks, and Civil Defence were just saying our hotel was put on the critical building list. And all these things make you think 'are we ever going to see this ring again?"'

Dr Rao, 26, had taken the ring with him to Christchurch in February while attending a medical conference in the city, with the intention of taking girlfriend Hieu Lam, 28, on a helicopter ride onto a South Island glacier to propose.

When the February 22 quake hit, Dr Rao was in the Christchurch Convention Centre in the central city. Heading outside into the chaos, the ring did not even enter his mind. He helped by bandaging victims and doing preliminary examinations on the injured.

"I always thought I could keep a cool head with all that going on - but nothing really does prepare you for what happens."

When things had quietened down, Dr Rao tried to get back to his hotel, but found the street cordoned off. He left to return to Australia the next day.

Back home, after reflecting on the fragility of life, he flew with Miss Lam to Japan, where he proposed with a token ring. It happened to be a few days before Japan was hit by the killer earthquake and tsunami.

Publicity about Dr Rao's plight led to staff getting inside the Christchurch hotel last week to retrieve his ring, and police had it waiting for him in a safe when he flew in on Saturday.

"It was a huge relief to get it back."

His fiancee is due back in Melbourne today, after flying in from Singapore.

"It's the second proposal. I've learnt that the best laid plans never really go how you want them to go. So I think I might just wing it."

Miss Lam jokes with him that no country will let him past the borders given his history of quakes following him around the world.

"Now that (the ring) is back and it's all a happy ending, you look back and think 'wow, what an absolutely surreal story', I guess. It's a story to tell the grand-kids."

The couple think they might get married next year.