Senator Marco Rubio and his wife, Jeanette Dousdebes Rubio, marked their 27th wedding anniversary on October 17 with a celebration that was equal parts love, laughter, and reflection. The longtime couple, who wed in 1998, revisited the story of their unforgettable Valentine’s Day proposal — one that began with a movie-inspired plan and ended with a moment straight out of a romantic comedy.
Jeanette shared a heartfelt message on Instagram alongside a photo of the two smiling together at home: “Happy anniversary to my best friend and my everything! I thank God for you, and I am truly blessed to be your wife. I love you with all my ❤️.”
The couple’s love story dates back to their college days in Florida, but it was on Valentine’s Day 1997 in New York City that Rubio decided to take their relationship to the next level. Inspired by Jeanette’s love of Sleepless in Seattle, he planned to propose atop the Empire State Building — but convincing her to go up wasn’t easy.
“It was freezing that day,” Rubio recalled in a past interview with Parade. “She didn’t want to go to the observation deck, so I had to lure her there. I told her, ‘I love King Kong. I’ve always wanted to climb the Empire State Building!’”
Jeanette laughed remembering it: “I was like, ‘Seriously, Marco?’”
Still, she agreed to go — and moments later, they were standing 102 stories above Manhattan. There, shivering in the cold wind, Rubio dropped to one knee and proposed. “The moment was perfect,” Jeanette said, “until he took the ring back.”
“I was afraid she would drop it over the edge of the building,” Rubio explained with a grin. “I said, ‘Let’s wait until we’re on the ground. Then I’ll give it back to you.’”
That mix of romance and humor has followed them through their 27 years of marriage — a bond built on faith, family, and shared laughter. Today, the Rubios live in West Miami, raising their four children: Amanda, Daniella, Anthony, and Dominic. Their home life is busy but full of warmth, with Jeanette often described by those close to the couple as the heart of the family.
Though she prefers to stay out of the political spotlight, Jeanette has stood by Marco through every stage of his career, from his days as Speaker of the Florida House to his rise in the U.S. Senate. Friends say her calm presence balances his intensity. “She’s my anchor,” Rubio has said in interviews. “No matter where politics takes me, she keeps me grounded.”
As for their children, they’ve grown up watching their parents juggle public service and private life with unwavering faith. Rubio often credits family dinners and Sunday church as the glue that keeps them connected, no matter how chaotic things get in Washington.
This year, their anniversary celebration was quiet but meaningful. Their kids surprised Jeanette with handwritten letters and a video montage of family memories — from the day of Rubio’s swearing-in to home videos of Valentina, their youngest, taking her first steps.
Twenty-seven years after that blustery day in New York, the senator and his wife still laugh about the proposal that almost ended with a flying engagement ring. But for Marco and Jeanette Rubio, that moment on top of the Empire State Building wasn’t just the start of their marriage — it was the start of a lifelong love story built on faith, humor, and the promise that no matter how high the climb, they’d do it together.
