Man dropped to one knee for the perfect proposal — she walked past him without realizing what was happening

For anyone who has ever dashed into a game, practice, or match knows that focus is important. The noise around you fades, familiar faces blur into the background, and all that matters is kicking off strong. That kind of focused vision sets the stage for one of the most humorous and beautiful proposal stories to trend on the internet this year, a moment Ohio softball player Nicole Colley didn’t even see coming at all.

The 25-year-old forklift driver, Colley, has been with her now-fiancé, masonry worker Jacob Lear, for a little over two years, as reported by TODAY on November 11, 2025. They met after graduating high school through a slow-pitch softball league, built an everlasting friendship that lasted years, and blossomed into dating. “We were friends for four or five years before I finally gave him a chance,” Colley told the outlet. This September, Lear chose a familiar place for the big question: Berliner Sports Park in Columbus, Ohio, the same place where he asked Colley to be his girlfriend. It took him months to plan the proposal, working quietly with teammates, friends, and family. However, what he didn’t think of was Colley’s game-day intensity.

Right before their tournament, Colley’s coach asked her to handle the toss. She was focused on the game, not the crowd or the cameras. “Then I figured, everybody's standing around, let’s play ball,” she said. So she screamed, “Play ball!” and walked directly past Lear, who was already down on one knee. The field flared up with excitement. “And that’s when everybody was yelling at me, ‘Turn around, Nicole, turn around!’” she recalled. As she finally turned around, she saw Lear holding a handmade softball case with an engagement ring inside. “And I was just completely shocked [sic],” she said. “I started crying. And then the excitement just took over, like, holy crap, this is happening.”

Lear was shocked as well; he did expect nerves, but not being unnoticed. “Did she really just walk past me?” he wondered. Their friends and teammates watched with disbelief. “They’re like, ‘You dummy, you’re blind.’ I feel like every single day somebody yells ‘Play ball’ to me at least once a day,” Colley laughed. Because of their jolly relationship, at first, she didn’t take the proposal seriously. “I honestly thought he was joking at first… And then I saw the ring. I’m like, ‘Oh my God.’’’

She also deduced she’d be able to spot his nerves, something she’d seen before. “Two years ago, he threw a surprise birthday party for me, and he was so nervous that he was throwing up in the backyard,” she said. This time, he masked it really well. The night before, when he threw up, she blamed alcohol. “Nope, it’s because he was nervous. Very good cover-up.”

The couple is now envisioning a fall 2027 wedding. Instances like this often emphasize why long-term commitments carry emotional advantages. A study available via the National Library of Medicine notes that marriage can offer protective benefits through shared responsibility, financial stability, and stronger social relationships. 

The video was also shared on TikTok by Colley (@nicolecolley49) on September 25, 2025, which garnered 2.1 million views, and comments started pouring in. @notyourmama714 commented about Lear's knee, "His poor knee. That doesn’t look comfortable." @ashumisprime36 couldn't stop adoring the ring box, "The softball ring box, though! That's so cute." @k3ll_b3ll wrote, "Queen of minding her own business." For Colley and Lear, those foundations began years before the ring, even if she almost missed it.

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