Boston Rob Mariano Reflects on 19-Year Marriage to Wife Amber: 'We Dedicate Everything to Family' (Exclusive)

Hot off his time on NBC's 'Deal or No Deal Island', the reality star opens up to PEOPLE about the best deal he ever made: marrying his wife Amber

Rob Mariano and Amber Mariano have an alliance that's lasted well beyond their time on Survivor.

Over two decades ago, the longtime couple met and fell in love while filming Survivor: All-Stars in 2003. She famously claimed the million, but Rob arguably won the real prize, proposing during the show's live finale in 2004 before the two married on April 16, 2005, at the Atlantis Paradise Island in The Bahamas.

Now, 19 years and four daughters later, Rob and Amber have become something rarely seen on television: a couple who outlasted the pressures of reality TV.

So what's their secret? While discussing his role in NBC's Deal or No Deal Island, the star known as "Boston Rob" opened up to PEOPLE about their bond, explaining that he and Amber both share the same priorities.

"We dedicate everything to our family," says Rob, who shares Lucia, 14, Karina, 13. Isa, 12 and Adelina, 9 with Amber."That's what this is all about."

He goes on to praise Amber as a mother, saying that "she balances and handles everything pretty gracefully" and noting that managing the girls' social calendars and emotional lives is "a lot."

"My mom was a great mom growing up, and I feel like my kids have that too," he says. "I feel so lucky for them and so grateful to her."

Related: 'Survivor' Alum Rob Mariano Posts Family Snap with Four Daughters — See the Sweet Holiday Moment!

It's not just Amber's qualities as a mom that Rob loves. He praises her ability to "effortlessly adapt to any situation," something he says they both learned to experience during their time in front of the reality TV cameras, both on Survivor (Rob played the game six total times, winning once, and even returned with Amber for Survivor: Winners at War in 2020) and on The Amazing Race, which they ran together in season 7 (2005) and season 11 (2007).

"There's a lot of lessons from these reality shows that are applicable in relationships, and that's the biggest one probably," says Rob. "There's constantly going to be things that are coming up, and it feels like people that are able to adapt and kind of go on the fly are the ones who ultimately end up doing the best. That's Amber and I for sure."

Related: Boston Rob Mariano Kept His 'Brutal' Deal or No Deal Island Fate from Wife Amber: 'It Spoils the Fun' (Exclusive)

Asked why he thinks he and Amber have lasted while many other reality TV couples haven't, Rob credits the structure of the game of Survivor.

"The reason why we were able to connect, versus a lot of these other dating or Bachelor-type shows where it doesn't work for other people, is because Survivor is so real," he tells PEOPLE. "Their situation is contrived. It's, 'Let's go on this helicopter date' and 'Let's go on this romantic journey to Paris.' And that s--- doesn't happen In the real world."

"We were on the opposite end of the spectrum," he adds. "It's like, 'Here, let me catch you a fish.' 'I'll build you a hut to sleep in.' 'I'll protect you in this challenge.' That's more appealing and more realistic than those other scenarios. Those people have nowhere to go but down; I had nowhere to go but up. That gave me a big advantage."

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And maybe, one day, his girls will be able to see just how their parents fell in love. Because as of his interview with PEOPLE, Rob admits that his girls have yet to watch the Survivor season their parents got together.

"We were talking about that the other day. I don't think they've ever seen that," says Rob. "When they were younger, we didn't want them to. It was a little bit harsh at the end there. But I think they're old enough now that they could handle it."

"Who knows... maybe we'll do a viewing party this summer."

All episodes of Deal or No Deal Island are now streaming on Peacock. Previous Survivor seasons can be seen on Paramount+.

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Read the original article on People.