Lakeland couple atop Eiffel Tower during Paris attacks

Chris McLaughlin and Brandi Smith, a couple from Lakeland, were in Paris for a U2 concert when Chris asked her to marry him.

During their celebratory dinner atop the Eiffel Tower, they learned of the deadly attacks around the city.

On Sunday, the newly-engaged couple made their way home to Florida.

They spoke with Fox 35 when they landed in Orlando.

"I didn't think anything of it until the sheer quantity of it .... everything kind of stopped and people started to look out the window...but then Chris received an emergency text alert on his phone," said Smith.

McLaughlin described his thoughts immediately after learning of the attacks, "First thing that went through my head is that we were atop the number-one terrorist target in all of France, and all of Paris. We were at the Eiffel Tower when this was all going on, and so I thought to myself, 'this is a place I don't necessarily want to be."

McLaughlin and Smith safely left the restaurant and eventually made their way back home to Florida late Sunday night.