By Rebecca Henely
Wedding bells will soon be ringing in western Queens for City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside), who announced via Facebook Monday that he became engaged to Dan Hendrick, his partner of 12 years.
Van Bramer, who represents the communities of Sunnyside, Woodside, Long Island City and parts of Astoria and Elmhurst, is one of four openly gay City Council members.
Hendrick is the communications director of the New York League of Conservation voters. He is also the former editor of the Queens Chronicle and a former member of the military.
He said he had surprised Van Bramer with two simple engagement rings at a restaurant in Puerto Rico last weekend.
“At the end it was kind of just two people in a restaurant having a great time,” Hendrick said of the engagement.
While they have not set a date, they are aiming to hold their wedding in July or August after the City Council budget process, Hendrick said.
Van Bramer’s announcement received 114 “likes” on Facebook as of Tuesday afternoon and multiple congratulations.
“Thank you all for the generous wishes and supportive and kind words. Dan and I are grateful!” the councilman wrote to his Facebook friends.
Earlier in the year, Van Bramer revealed at a news conference held in support of state legislation to approve gay marriage that Hendrick had once proposed to him at Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada, but he had refused.
“I don’t want to get married in Canada. I want to get married in Queens,” Van Bramer said.
Reach reporter Rebecca Henely by e-mail at rhenely@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
