Man proposes to girlfriend with tornado raging in the background. Storm-chasing couple's viral video stuns the internet

In a scene straight out of a Hollywood disaster-romance, a couple’s engagement in front of a swirling tornado has gone viral, reminding the world that sometimes, love really does weather every storm. Matt Michell, a seasoned storm chaser from Illinois, proposed to his girlfriend, Becky Patel, against the dramatic backdrop of a massive twister in Arnett, Oklahoma—and the internet can’t get enough.

Captured on video and shared by Patel herself, the stunning moment shows the couple standing near their SUV as the wind howls around them and a tornado spins ominously in the distance. Without flinching, Matt drops to one knee and asks the most life-changing question of all.

As Matt utters “I love you, baby,” Becky bursts into squeals and joyful jumps, leaving no doubt about her answer. She later shared the video on Instagram, where it quickly went viral. “On May 18th in Arnett, Oklahoma, in front of the most amazing tornado, Matt Michell got down on one knee and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him,” she wrote. “Matt, you make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world, and I love you with all my heart.”

The dazzling oval-cut diamond engagement ring didn’t go unnoticed either, but it was the raw, unfiltered emotion and the once-in-a-lifetime setting that truly captured the hearts of viewers around the world.

From Storm Chasing to Heart Racing
Patel, originally from Canada, met Michell during a Tempest Tours storm chasing trip last year. Michell, who has been tracking tornadoes for six years, instantly connected with her. “I was only supposed to chase for two weeks, but Matt asked me to stay an extra week and chase with him, so I did,” Patel revealed in an interview with KLAW.

Since then, the duo has chased storms across the plains—from wind-swept roads in Oklahoma to a colossal tornado in Wyoming. But this one, they say, is the most memorable by far.

Even professionals took notice of the moment. Meteorologist Damon Lane called it “a perfectly timed engagement,” and social media users echoed the sentiment, lauding the couple’s shared passion and fearless love.

While the tornado was a force of nature, so too was the bond between Michell and Patel. For them, what began as a storm-chasing adventure has now turned into a lifetime pursuit of shared skies—and shared hearts.