Promise Kept: West Haven Man Wins Long-Sought Engagement Ring

WEST HAVEN, CT — Two days after giving birth, Erin Baronski suffered a stroke and doctors told her family that she wouldn’t survive. However, after three surgeries and 19 months of fighting, she returned home to her children. Her boyfriend, Anthony Kallert of West Haven, was recently able to get her the engagement ring her promised her 21 years ago thanks to the annual “Ring In The New Year” contest.

It was the fourth straight year Michaels Jewelers in Waterbury participated in the contest, which is coordinated by Connoisseur Media and WPLR’s “Chaz & AJ Show.” For 2018, the annual tradition was doubled by surprising a second entrant with an engagement ring.

Kallert was the first lucky ring recipient at 8:45 a.m. during the show’s Friday, Dec. 14 live broadcast. Carlo Agostini of Norwalk was the “surprise” second winner of a Michaels Jewelers engagement ring which was announced on the “Chaz & AJ Show” at 9:15 a.m. on Dec. 21.

Since Nov. 19, the radio station reviewed dozens of heartfelt essay submissions from Connecticut residents to award a diamond engagement ring from Michaels Jewelers to one ‘deserving couple,’ according to a news release. To sign up for West Haven breaking news alerts and more, click here.

Kallert’s ring-winning essay informed the station’s essay reviewers that he would present the ring to his girlfriend, Erin Baronski. He wrote, “I gave her a promise ring 21 years ago. She suffered a stroke two days after giving birth to our fourth child. We were told she would not survive.

“For 19 months she has fought to regain her life back. Three surgeries later and 19 months away from her children, she is finally home with me and the kids. She is such a fighter and I don’t know of a stronger woman. She amazes me every day!!! I wish I had the money to give her a ring she deserves. Thank you for taking the time to read this.”

In his winning essay, Agostini described Laurie Agostino as his “beautiful wife.” Agostini wrote that he wanted her “to know she is my world. I truly love her and it would mean the world to me to bring some joy to the most amazing wife a guy could be blessed with.”

“The heart-warming stories that are submitted to the contest each year truly represent what true love and the holidays really mean to people,” Michaels Jewelers’ Lindsay Michaels-Gorski said. “We are honored to have been part of this very special contest for the past four years, and especially delighted to present two engagement rings in 2018.”

Pictured: West Haven’s Anthony Kallert (far right) in the WPLR studio along with (from left to right) Michaels Jewelers Director of Marketing Lindsay Michaels-Gorski, Michaels Jewelers CEO/Owner Mark Michaels, and Kallert’s daughter, Maya Kallert. / Contributed photo