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Photographer Locates Mystery Couple Captured In Viral Yosemite Cliff Proposal

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — A Michigan photographer's search for a mystery couple he inadvertently photographed during their proposal on Yosemite National Park's Taft Point has come to an end.

Freelance photographer Matt Dippel posted on his Facebook page over the weekend that he had located the couple.

"UPDATE: I FOUND THEM. Everyone meet, Charlie Bear and his fiancé Melissa the happy happy couple that was out on the point in my Taft Point Proposal," he posted. "In short, I captured the second proposal, the more special and official one in Charlie's words. Huge congratulations to you two. "

"I wish I was able to meet you in person and hug you. I'm glad I finally found you to share this special moment with you, thanks for being so awesome, maybe one day we will finally meet in person!"

Dippel had taken to Facebook and Twitter in search of the couple after he captured their special moment in the background of one of his photos. He was waiting to take a picture of his friend when the couple walked out onto the 7,500 foot cliff and the man dropped to one knee.

"It's a super-popular place in Yosemite. Really popular for engagements, proposals, weddings," Dippel told CNN."There were at least three or four different brides and grooms up there doing their post-wedding photos, so it's definitely not an uncommon thing to see up there."

He took a picture of the proposal — and the one he wanted of Josh — and then went to give the couple the picture.

"I ran over to that point after I took the photo to try to figure out who they were and I asked maybe 20 or 25 people and no one came forward."

Unfortunately, another couple's trip to the breathtaking overlook with views of the valley, Yosemite Falls and El Capitan came to a tragic end last week. Park rangers recovered their bodies after they fell to their deaths from the popular cliff.

Park spokeswoman Jamie Richards said she did not know how the rangers had reached the bodies in the remote area of the national park but that they worked all day in the "challenging area."

The towering overlook often is used as a backdrop for wedding, engagement and dating selfies with more than 14,000 images posted on Instagram alone.

Yosemite spokesman Scott Gediman said the park was still investigating how they fell and from the cliff. He said railings only exist at some parts of the overlook.

© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten. CNN and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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