It was a memorable TV moment for fans of the show First Dates.
A woman necks a pint in one and her amazed date replies: “F***ing hell!”
Two years on Mike Sumner, 38, and Zoe Welch, 31, are engaged.
But their joy has been overshadowed by the heartbreaking news that he has incurable motor neurone disease.
It means the ex-driving instructor may have as little as five years left to live.
Mike, from Grimsby, Lincs, was diagnosed after falling for Zoe on the hit Channel 4 series hosted by Fred Sirieix.
The couple filmed the show in spring 2020 but it was only screened last October – with viewers watching in awe as Zoe downed a pint in seconds – and has been repeated ever since.
Exactly two years later, Mike, who now uses a walking frame, decided to pop the question during a lakeside stroll on holiday in Florida.
He said: “Because of my mobility problems I couldn’t do it on bended knee. When we got back we cracked open a bottle of Prosecco we had waiting in the fridge and then went out for a quiet meal. It was just perfect.
“I refuse to be gloomy about how long I am going to live. I am determined to live in the moment with Zoe and make the best of what time I have left.”
Zoe, who works for a banking group, said: “We had an extremely long wait before we could date properly because of lockdown. Mike’s got a cheeky sense of humour and we have a lot of laughs.”
Shortly before the show, Mike was also diagnosed with autism.
Zoe says neither that nor his MND have affected their relationship, adding: “We are just living day by day.”
The couple now live together in Nottingham. Mike has started to feel the effects of the disease on his voice and balance but can still drive.
He said: “I have two cars. One is a two-seater MG with an open top.
“In the summer, we’ve been out for rides in the countryside. You can take your mind off things. It’s great. I hope to carry on driving as long as I can.”
Mike, who lost his nan to MND when she was in her 60s, added: “I remain upbeat about how long I have – people like Stephen Hawking and other people I’ve read about have lived for 10, 15 and 20 years.
“Zoe has been a great inspiration to me. She is there to pick me up if I start to feel depressed.”
Zoe added: “The producers didn’t know we had become a couple or about Mike’s MND. They were very pleased for us. They’re talking about updating our story.”
