Do you know how specific stories stay with you? It creeps into your mind while you’re making coffee in the morning or driving home from work and stays there. Not because it’s flamboyant or wild but because it’s so true. That’s what happened with Tampa Airport Proposal: A Love Story, a personal memoir by Dr. Thomas McMeekin, which somehow morphed from a quiet, intensely personal reflection into a viral sensation.
It’s wild when you think about it. This wasn’t a scripted rom-com or some calculated PR move. It began with two people reconnecting after six decades and, with a certain bravery and boldness, deciding to see where it could go. The book reads like a love letter to second chances, aging with hope, and embracing vulnerability, even at nearly 80. People devoured it, not just in bookstores but also on TikTok, in national news, and even in international media.
Let’s back up for a second, though, because the magic didn’t start with cameras or hashtags. It began with an email.
Tom, a dermatologist in Florida with a long medical career, was debating whether to attend his 60th high school reunion in Quincy, California. He’d been getting those reunion texts we all ignore, right? But something told him to go. Maybe it was boredom. Maybe curiosity. Or perhaps something a little bigger. Whatever the reason, he sent an email saying he was coming. That email reached Nancy, a classmate he had briefly dated in college, and that was the moment everything quietly shifted.
Over the next few weeks, they exchanged over a thousand messages. That’s not a typo. One thousand. Emails, texts, FaceTime calls, goofy inside jokes, emojis. The whole deal. Their bond reignited with a kind of ease that honestly made you question everything you thought you knew about timing and fate. They were in their late 70s, both still working, both fully immersed in life. And yet, they carved out this sweet, almost teenage space just for each other.
It could have ended there, and it would have been a lovely, private story shared among friends. But Tom had another idea.
When Nancy flew into Tampa for the 4th of July weekend, Tom proposed. Not at a quiet dinner. Not even at a family barbecue. He proposed at the airport, in front of passengers, strangers, staff, and a few sneaky coworkers of his who filmed the whole thing. He read a written proposal (because of nerves), dropped to one knee (on a heart-shaped pillow), and asked her to marry him. And she said yes.
The tears, the ovation, and the viral TikTok video. Millions of people have watched the video within days. People started calling TV stations. They were asked to be on The Today Show. Apple Vacations gave them a honeymoon in Mexico as a gift. It even got to Australia.
This story isn’t simply about the beautiful proposal or the passionate reunion. It seems possible. Easy to understand. Love doesn’t have to be something reserved only for young people. We may all get more than one chance. Tom and Nancy didn’t merely run into each other again. They said yes to building something real in a phase of life where most people settle into routines. That’s powerful. And it struck a nerve online in the best possible way.
The news couldn’t get enough of it. But the real news was in Tom’s writing, not in the flashy headlines and TV ads. In his honest and poignant book, Tampa Airport Proposal, A Love Story, he wrote about how they got back together. It sounds like a diary and a love letter at the same time. It’s not polished, which is part of what makes it charming. He discusses mistakes, aging, regrets, laughter, and everything else. You can tell that he’s having trouble with feelings he might not have anticipated to have again. That’s what makes it so real.
This novel hits hard if you’ve ever loved someone profoundly, lost connection or wondered if you might ever feel that way again. But not in a sad or depressed sense. It’s hilarious, loving, and full of hope. He talks about planning surprise gifts, messing up a text by sending it to the wrong woman, researching ring cuts on Google, and discovering her favorite cereal countdown ritual. It’s real life. It’s not perfect, nor has it been filtered. And that’s why it connects.
The move from page to screen didn’t come from ambition. It came from people resonating with something true. People love love, but they especially love unexpected love. Love that defies assumptions about aging or circumstances. I love that it says “screw it” and flies 2,700 miles on a hunch. Tom and Nancy’s story became everyone’s favorite kind of fairytale. The one that feels like it could maybe happen to you.
And now? They’re building a life together in Quincy. Tom sold his house in Florida, packed up with his little dog Ginger, and drove across the country to be with Nancy. He left his medical practice, bought a Subaru, applied for new state licenses, and started again. At nearly 80. For love.
There’s something crazy inspiring about that. It reminds us that it’s never too late to leap, never too late to be surprised, and never too late to fall in love. The fact that millions of people got to see even a small part of that trip shows how much we all want stories that show the messy, extraordinary, and everyday miracles of human connection.
You should read the book if you haven’t already. Check out the video. And send that text you’ve been thinking about. You never know what might happen next.
For more on Tom and Nancy’s story or to grab a copy of the memoir, head over to thomasmcmeekin.com. It’s a love story for the ages. Literally.