Lasting Love
Why ‘Survivor’s Boston Rob & Amber Are the Best Reality TV Couple of All Time
It’s rare for a reality television relationship to make it past the “showmance” stage, and those who do prevail rarely make it work for the long haul. However, one couple that has beaten the odds for more than 20 years? “Boston” Rob Mariano and Amber Mariano (née Brkich) of Survivor fame.
This April, Rob and Amber will mark 20 years of marriage, which isn’t too shabby for a couple who was once accused of “using” each other for strategy purposes. I will simply never forget being a young teenager and watching these two fall for each other on my television screen throughout Survivor: All-Stars in 2004. I fell in love with their love and am still rooting for them today. There’s no doubt in my mind that they are peak reality TV coupledom and, dare I say, the greatest of all time?
The beginning of Rob and Amber’s love story was one for the ages. After making names for themselves on Season 4 and Season 2 of Survivor, respectively, they both came into All-Stars looking for the win that eluded them in their previous endeavors. They really couldn’t have been more different. Rob was the loud, extroverted construction worker from Massachusetts, while Amber was the quieter, sweet Pennsylvania angel who was still living with her parents.
They were both on the Chapera tribe, and while Amber laid more low, Rob came out guns-blazing. He wasted no time playing hard, and also wasted no time setting his eyes on his adorable tribemate. Seeing the softer side of the big, bad, blue collar boy was thrilling to watch, especially since Amber was admittedly turning on her innocent charm as part of her gameplay, unbeknownst to Rob.
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But even though she tried to fight the feelings, it was clear that there was a deeper connection there, which was solidified after the tribe swap. In one of the most iconic Survivor moments ever, Rob begged Lex van den Berghe to save Amber when she found herself on a new tribe following the switch. Rob promised van den Berghe that he’d look out for him in the future if he did him this solid. Van den Berghe stayed true to his word and kept Amber safe, but when the tribes merged the following week, Rob turned on the Survivor: Africa alum and voted him out.
This was Rob’s villain origin story but was also the moment that revealed just how serious he was about his feelings for his now-wife. The duo rode the season all the way to the final 2, where Amber won in a 4-3 jury vote, which ended up being quite a controversial decision since many felt she didn’t play her own game and simply rode Rob’s coattails to the end.
Rob may not have gotten the $1 million and title of Sole Survivor, but he did get the girl.
When the live reunion show aired from Madison Square Garden (I know, iconic) on May 9, 2004, Amber shut down the haters who thought Rob was only a pawn in her game. She proudly stood on stage wearing an “I Heart Rob” t-shirt. Rob made an even bigger declaration of love, though, by getting down on one knee and proposing.
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Okay, yes, it was a bit gimmicky, but it was clear that these two had something that was the real deal.
Rob and Amber didn’t let their 15 minutes die off right away. They competed on The Amazing Race as an engaged couple in 2005 and came in second place. That same year, they tied the knot and filmed their wedding for the Rob and Amber Get Married special on CBS. They then returned to The Amazing Race for the All Stars season in 2007, finishing in eighth place.
But it’s what happened next that made me really believe in these two. Once they were ready to start a family, they relocated to Florida and started building a life away from the public eye. They are now parents of four daughters: Lucia, born in July 2009, Carina, born in December 2010, Isabetta, born in May 2012, and Adelina, born in June 2014.
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Of course, Rob has still remained a fixture in the Survivor universe, returning for Season 20 in 2010, Season 22 in 2011 (which he finally won), and as a Season 39 mentor in 2019. But Amber is the complete opposite. She doesn’t even have social media. It’s truly the perfect balance. He’s an extremely dedicated father, even though he’s often away from home for his reality television endeavors, but Amber is always there to hold down the fort when he’s gone.
There was a pivotal moment that had Amber dusting off her Survivor shoes, though. When the show hosted an all winners season in 2020, there was no question that it would be the right time for her to return. The couple found themselves back on the beach, competing against each other in the very same game that first brought them together. Although they were both voted out fairly early on due to their threat level as a pair, they were able to stay on the beach until the final tribal council thanks to the Edge of Extinction twist, which gave the players an opportunity to win their way back into the game.
Rob and Amber weren’t successful in getting back into the game, but it was the most beautiful once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them to play again … together. Plus, it provided an incredible full-circle moment when their four daughters got to visit them on the beach as part of the loved ones’ visit.
The public has mixed feelings about Rob, but one thing that no one can deny is how much he loves his wife and his family, and the way she has stood by him is just as admirable.
Boston Rob and Amber, you could simply NEVER make me hate you!
