How an Axios reporter popped the question while Hurricane Milton loomed
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Photo: Courtesy of Darian Mattos
I spent no shortage of time over the last nine months coming up with a plan for the moment when I would ask Maya, my girlfriend of four years, to be my wife.
Why it matters: Meeting Maya, knowing her, and witnessing the unfolding of her life has felt like living in a movie. She is the quintessential love interest. I could almost hear the swell of "Just the Way You Are" the first time I saw her.
- So, as I dreamt up ways to pop the question, one thing became certain: I needed to make her feel that way.
Between the lines: I had a lot of ideas, and I needed a sounding board.
- Enter Editor Jeff, who I asked to take a break from my copy and "edit my life." He obliged and steered me away from my worst ones, like a series of proposal fakeouts. You'll have to thank him later, Maya.
- He offered a smile — and no notes — when I made my final pitch. Then, I brought it up the chain to Maya's family and mine.
Driving the news: I hit the road in September to ask her parents, grandma and sister for their blessing, which I filmed.
- I rented the Tampa Theatre, bought 3,000 silk rose petals and asked my friend Darian (an incredible videographer) to capture the moment.
Friction point: Mother Nature had other plans, with Milton's formation into a catastrophic hurricane only a few days before our engagement.
Yes, but: I used what little bit of sunshine we had left to pull it off.
Zoom in: I asked Maya to take Monday off to celebrate our anniversary a couple days early. I told her that I booked us a photoshoot at Tampa's iconic movie palace to commemorate the milestone.
- Dawn Kidle, senior operations manager at the Tampa Theatre, waited for Maya to reach the box office, convinced her to leave her purse at the concession stand, and led her toward the balcony entrance.
- I stood beneath the spotlight on a stage covered in petals, while curtains reeled back and an orchestra version of Taylor Swift's "Love Story" played.
- Maya walked down the stairs, where I took her hand and sat us in the front row to watch the video I made. When it ended, we climbed the stage and I asked her to marry me.
The bottom line: She said, "Yes."
