‘Bangor’s Bachelorette’ finds her man

BANGOR – Cindy Michaels has found her “mighty, mighty good man,” and his name is Adam Bonnell.

Michaels, the program director and midday show host at WWBX (97.1 FM), became “Bangor’s Bachelorette” on Feb. 20. Inspired by ABC’s popular reality shows “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” Michaels selected 12 finalists from a field of more than 65 men, and the competition started in earnest in April.

Seven weeks and nearly 20 dates later, only Bonnell, 22, of Oakland and Ryan Murdock, 27, remained on Tuesday when Michaels announced her choice.

“I’m feeling awesome,” Michaels, 38, said by phone on Wednesday. “I feel like I’ve made the right decision. I found the type of person that I’ve always looked for.”

Last night, over dinner, Bonnell asked her to be his girlfriend, and she accepted.

It wasn’t exactly love at first sight, but Michaels knew there was something that set Bonnell apart on their first date. As the contest progressed, she found that Bonnell was unconditionally supportive of her, knowing full well that he may not be the one she chose. Toward the end of the contest, when she gave out her phone number to several of the men, Bonnell was the only one who called her every night.

“We’ve talked three or four hours a night,” she said. “He has told me how he felt.”

But it was completely different when he told her on-air.

“I was moved, but I was still nervous having to tell both of them – one goodbye and one that he won.”

In the “Bangor’s Bachelorette” finale, Michaels described a pivotal moment in her decision-making. Last weekend, she went to an open house on a whim. As she toured the home, a wall hanging caught her eye. It said, “Love like you’ve never been hurt.”

“That line, it totally is what Adam is,” she said. “When you get older, you get tainted from past relationships that have burned you. You don’t go into love with an open mind and a trusting heart. … We are just caring for each other in a very pure and innocent and unjaded way, which is the way it should be.”

Michaels never intended to date someone 16 years her junior, but things “just clicked,” she said. And besides, he treats her like gold.

“It’s rare,” she said, laughing. “Demi Moore’s doing it, so I guess it’s all right, and she’s older than me.”

Paring down the list was difficult for Michaels, because she developed friendships with several of the contestants. But she had no qualms about putting her life – and her heart – out on the airwaves. She made sure the content was tasteful, and afternoon show host Bill Da Butler served as her bodyguard and chaperone.

“It didn’t bother me,” Michaels said. “My listeners knew I was single. … It was just basically getting to know these 12 men.”

And the “getting to know” was much tamer than reality TV. Michaels and her dates went to local restaurants, roller rinks, sports centers and pool halls – often in groups. For one memorable date, she and six of the finalists, two on-air contest winners and Butler piled in a schoolbus and headed north to Saint John, New Brunswick, for a 50 Cent concert.

“It was just the best time,” she said. “I felt so special, but every moment was special.”

And she may have found that special someone, too.

“He’s just an awesome, awesome man.”