Close Ad

Viral Internet Search Identifies Couple in Yosemite Proposal Photo, Revealing a Beautiful Side of the Internet
yosemite-proposal
Love Stories

Viral Internet Search Identifies Couple in Yosemite Proposal Photo, Revealing a Beautiful Side of the Internet

With all the negative stories that come from our use of social media, it’s sometimes a relief to be reminded of its powers for good.

Take photographer Matthew Dippel, who stopped at Yosemite National Park on an early October road trip to Los Angeles, only to capture a wedding proposal and set off a worldwide internet search for the couple in question.


Right Place at the Right Time

Dippel was travelling from Grand Rapids with a buddy, the two stopping at Yosemite in order to capture some sunset photos from the park’s much loved Taft Point, with its views of the valley, Yosemite Falls and El Capitan.

Dippel had lined up to take photos of his friend when he noticed a proposal taking place at the point’s 3500-foot drop ledge. He quickly captured the moment from a distance and, after completing his own photos, raced around to find the couple and show them. But they’d disappeared into the crowd.

Taking to Twitter

Dippel was determined to find the couple. The solution? Social media.

Dippel took to Twitter and shared his photo. “Twitter help, idk who these two are but I hope this finds them,” he wrote. “ I took this at Taft Point at Yosemite National Park, on October 6th, 2018.” The tweet has since been re-shared a whopping 175,000 times.

Ten days later, Dippel tweeted again to say he’d found the couple, who have been identified simply as Charlie Bear and Melissa.

“Everyone meet, Charlie and his fiancé Melissa the happy happy couple that was out on the point in my Taft Point Proposal,” he wrote in a tweet dated October 27. “I’m glad I finally found you to share this special moment with you, thanks for being so awesome, maybe one day we will finally meet in person!”

In an interview with CNN, Bear said Melissa had come across the photograph on Instagram and reached out to Dippel.

“They sent me over iPhone screen shots of some of their friends that were up on that point that day, and they are wearing the exact same thing, and the photos are timestamped on the exact same day and the same time that I was there,” Dippel said.

Bear and Melissa have since taken to Instagram to share the experience and thank Dippel.

“Huge thank you once again to Matthew for capturing this special moment and taking the time to track us down,” Bear wrote. “Also, a big thanks to all of the media outlets and inter-webs for spreading the word. Success!”

The couple is due to get married in Malibu, California in April.

Hot Stories

Why Jennifer Hudson Forgave Her Mother's Killer -- Life Stories By Goalcast

At the peak of her career, Jennifer Hudson faced a horrific family tragedy. Hudson's mother and brother were brutally attacked in their family home, and her seven-year-old nephew was kidnapped. What followed was a heart-wrenching manhunt to rescue her nephew and seek justice against the man who took her family. Hudson speaks from the heart in this video on what happened to her family and how she was able to move forward.

Celebrities
People smiling in unison united
Racism Quotes

Racism is considered the marginalization and/or oppression of people of color based on a socially constructed racial hierarchy that privileges another race. The term is applied in many areas of a society that perpetuates discrimination on the basis of race or strengthen racial inequalities in education, health care, income, and civil rights.

Ever since the 20th century, the concept of biological race is considered a cultural invention that has no scientific basis. The progress over the past half-century has been impressive, but the nation still has a long way to go to reach true racial equality.

Keep ReadingShow less
Everyday Heroes
hands are put together as part of community volunteer efforts
Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash

A community is so much more than people sharing a space. It's a living, breathing network of connections and shared experiences. While it's usually defined as “a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common,” true community runs much deeper than that.

Diversity

Keep ReadingShow less
Quotes