Investigative journalist Valerie Bell from ABC 33/40 was called to a lake near Birmingham, Alabama, for a breaking news story when she got the surprise of her life. When she arrived at the scene, authorities told her they received a call about a domestic dispute.
The officer said the emergency call led them to believe it was a “violent scene” with a lot of “screaming and hollering.” Although by the time the police arrived, the husband jumped into his car and took off, eventually driving it into a lake.
Bell took out her notebook and asked if she could take notes. But before she could jot any down, the officer told Bell that there was someone “really important” right behind her.
How it all went down… 💍 Here I was, thinking I was going to breaking news @abc3340, but little did I know, it was all part of a massive collaborative plan to pull off one heck of a surprise. Can’t wait to spend forever with you. I’m the most lucky girl. #BecomingBjornson pic.twitter.com/Md0P5yShxx
— Valerie Bell (@ValerieBellTV) July 1, 2023
Bell couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw her boyfriend down on one knee. She must have gotten dizzy having to switch her headspace from what she thought was a serious crime scene to the love of her life proposing.
“Val, you’re the greatest thing that ever happened to me,” her boyfriend said on one knee. “Every day with you is a day well spent. I hope I can spend forever with you. Will you marry me?”
To which the reporter responded, “Yes.”
The majority of responses on Twitter were congratulatory in nature. However, some were a little put off by the fact that the premise for the situation was a domestic disturbance. Others thought that the proposal was a waste of public resources. However, in a follow-up tweet, Bell reassured her followers that the local authorities involved in the proposal were all volunteers and off-duty.