While Brad Penny may be known for thowing four strikeouts in one inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2006, it’s the curveball that struck out Dancing with the Stars’ Maksim Chmerkovskiy who recently discovered longtime fiancé and co-star Karina Smirnoff is engaged to the major league pitcher.
A year ago August, after Regis Philbin googled at Karina and Maksim’s “hot, sexy, sizzling” dance, Karina said she was excited about her New Year’s Eve engagement to Maksim.
“Yes! It’s definitely been a testament to our relationship together,” Karina said, “because we’re attached at the hip. We dance together. We get ready together. We go home together.”
Calling off a planned wedding is no easy move, even for the 32 year-old Ukrainian born dancing superstar.
Couples who live together before marriage are more likely to divorce because so many are afraid to call off wedding plans that one or both partners know shouldn’t go forward. Karina’s courage to say goodbye to a long-term relationship she’d told the world would lead the couple down the aisle took courage and faith.
Let’s hope Brad Penny saves his future strikeouts for the baseball mound. The $95,000 engagement ring Karina was reportedly showing off this week is a sign that his wallet and heart are committed to getting the couple to home plate together.