Lady Gaga and Fiance Taylor Kinney Took Part in 'Polar Plunge' in Freezing Lake Michigan to Help Raise Funds for the Special Olympics

Lady Gaga (Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta), who turns 29 next month, and her fiance Taylor Kinney, 33, who is seen weekly on NBC TV as Lieutenant Kelly Severide in Chicago Fire, were among the more than 4,500 participants in Sunday's 15th Annual Chicago Polar Plunge, a yearly fund-raising event for the benefit of the Special Olympics, the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

On Lady Gaga's unexpected appearance for the event, Casey Hogan, president of Special Olympics Chicago and its fund-raising arm Special Children's Charities, told Chicago Tribune: "She's pure heart. She came out for the cause - low-key, no press. It doesn't get any better than that."

Lady Gaga, sporting a long platinum blonde weave and wearing a Chicago Fire Department t-shirt, dark pants and booties, was dropped in the freezing 32-degree Lake Michigan water while on the shoulders of the shirtless Taylor. But before they got in the water, they shared a romantic kiss on the sand to the delight of fans. The singer was later seen holding onto her beau in the icy water, splashing around, shivering as bits of snow and ice clung to her wet clothes and hair.

"It was awesome," said the soaked but smiling Gaga to the reporters who swarmed around her as she emerged from the freezing lake. Later, via Instagram, she posted some of her thoughts and observations about the event. On one, she said: "My weave froze!! Taylor gave me his hat I thought my wig was gonna freeze into and become one with the lake." On another she wrote: "Feels so good to do things for a good cause like the Special Olympics. It's great [to] donate money, but also great to donate a gesture of love for those who deserve to be showered with it."

Aside from Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney, another prominent celebrity who took part in the fundraiser was Chicago native Vince Vaughn, best known for his roles on Wedding Crashers and Old School, who was urging bystanders and onlookers to join and "go out there and have some fun."

The Sunday event raised more than $1 million for Special Olympics Chicago, which provides year-round activities and events to nearly 5,000 athletes with special needs, according to ABC7 Chicago.