Emotional moment on ‘The Voice’ as firefighter proposes to GF after failed audition: ‘She’s the real winner’

Jacob Ryan Gustafson, a firefighter from California, had all four judges rush to the stage as he got down on one knee to propose to his girlfriend
PUBLISHED SEP 25, 2025
Screenshot of Jacob Ryan Gustafson and his girlfriend Jennifer from 'The Voice' (Cover Image Source: YouTube | The Voice)
Screenshot of Jacob Ryan Gustafson and his girlfriend Jennifer from 'The Voice' (Cover Image Source: YouTube | The Voice)

'The Voice' fans witnessed a beautiful moment during the second night of Blind Auditions. In the second episode of 'The Voice' Season 28, which aired on September 23, Jacob Ryan Gustafson, a firefighter from California, entered the stage, hoping to get a chair turn from the coaches. For his Blind Audition, Gustafson performed a heartfelt rendition of 'Spin You Around' by Morgan Wallen. However, the 35-year-old singer failed to impress Michael Bublé, Snoop Dogg, Niall Horan, and Reba McEntire, and did not secure even a single chair turn. But he managed to turn the opportunity into one of the most cherishable moments of his life.    

After his Blind Audition, Gustafson told the coaches, "My name is Jacob Ryan Gustafson. I am 35 years old, and I'm from Yucaipa, California. I'm a firefighter here in Southern California. I just want to say thank you for this opportunity." He then asked them if he could bring someone up, and McEntire responded, "You bet!" Without wasting any time, Gustafson asked his girlfriend, Jennifer, to join him on stage. With the love of his life beside him, Gustafson shared, "This life is a beautiful life, and I'm so blessed. Even right now: If I could change anything, the only thing I'd change is your last name," according to NBC.


 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Jacob Ryan Gustafson (@jacobryangustafson)


 

Jennifer was visibly emotional and started crying when she realized what was happening. Eventually, Gustafson went down on one knee and asked Jennifer, "Will you marry me?" The audience roared with applause, and Snoop said, "Go ahead, Jacob!" Soon, all four coaches rushed towards the stage to hug the happy couple and congratulate them. "Ok, so you won The Voice!" Bublé told Gustafson. Dogg expressed a similar sentiment, saying, "That's the winner right there!" Bublé couldn't stop gushing over the proposal and went on to say, "Jacob shows you that there are no losers on The Voice. What a beautiful moment." 


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Jacob Ryan Gustafson (@jacobryangustafson)


 

As soon as a clip of Gustafson's Blind Audition was uploaded on the official YouTube account of 'The Voice,' fans flooded the comments section with congratulatory messages. One social media user wrote, "I'm sitting here crying. That was beyond beautiful, especially when he said he's so blessed because he is marrying the love of his life." Another netizen commented, "How beautiful!!!! The right person said YES!!! Congratulations, and please come back next year! Never give up!!!!"


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Jennifer Brown (@14jenn_)


 

A third user penned, "Love, love, love how excited Snoop got to see this couple have one of the best moments in their life. Get em Jake So happy that the judges surrounded, cheered, and told Jacob that he won." Another fan, who saw some potential in Gustafson, exclaimed, "The real winner, my heart, this got me in tears. 'The person he wanted most said yes.' I love every moment of this! Come back again, you have great potential. God bless you and your future wife." Season 28 of 'The Voice' airs every Monday and Tuesday at 8 pm ET on NBC.

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