Val Chmerkovskiy reveals Jenna Johnson almost ran him over on a near-fatal first date

By Daphne Buenaflor

Nov 21, 2018

08:52 A.M.

“Dancing With the Stars” pro dancers Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson had a very unusual experience during their first day. She almost ran him over.

Speaking with Yahoo Lifestyle, Johnson said that their official date was “pretty spontaneous.” But for Chmerkovskiy, he said it was rather dangerous.

He said, “I was crossing the street on Melrose Ave, she almost ran me over.”

Following the almost-accident, Chmerkovskiy decided to invite Johnson over to his house. “She came over, I taught her how to play chess, and that was our first date,” he shared.

When they started dating, the couple kept their relationship hidden from the cameras. They wanted to be known as professional dancers, and they wanted their personal lives to be kept private.

Through the years, the couple had an on-again-off-again relationship, until finally, in 2017, the couple became official on Instagram. This year, in June 2018, Chmerkovskiy and Johnson got engaged.

Sharing the experience, Johnson said that it was unexpected. She shared, “I love him so much but he’s pretty incapable of planning anything ahead. We were in Venice, and basically I went through all of his bags and didn’t see [a ring] and so I was like, I’m just gonna enjoy the trip.”

Throughout the trip, Johnson had no idea until Chmerkovskiy finally knelt on one knee and proposed to her with the ring that he had kept hidden in his backpack.

Chmerkovskiy revealed that there were three hidden cameras at the café where he asked the big question.

He shared, “I was in Venice 15 years ago and I promised myself that when I meet the love of my life this was where I was going to propose, and here I am proposing.”

The couple is said to tie the knot in 2019. In the meantime, they are preparing for their December tour of “Dancing With the Stars: Live!”

They are also appearing on the finale episode of “Dancing With the Stars” season 27 on November 26, 2018.

At the time in September when the season was only about to begin, Chmerkovskiy, who was paired with “The Facts of Life” star Nancy McKeon, said he was going to beat Johnson, who was coupled with “Bachelorette” star Joe “Grocery Store Joe” Amabile.