For most people, Valentine’s Day means flowers, chocolates, or maybe a quiet dinner for two.

But for Senator Marco Rubio and his wife Jeanette, it marks the day everything changed — not because it went perfectly, but because it went hilariously wrong.

This year, as the couple celebrated 27 years of marriage, they decided to share the story of how their relationship began — and the now-famous proposal that didn’t go according to plan.

❤️ “He Wanted to Be Tom Hanks”

It was the mid-90s. Marco was a young man with big dreams and an even bigger heart. Jeanette was the woman who somehow kept him grounded while inspiring him to reach higher.

“When we were dating,” Marco recalls with a smile, “Jeanette loved Sleepless in Seattle. She must’ve watched it 10 times. So I thought — why not give her a movie moment of her own?”

The plan?

A classic Valentine’s Day proposal atop the Empire State Building, under the stars — just like in the movie.

Everything was set. The ring was ready. The speech was memorized. The scene was perfect.

But there was one thing Marco hadn’t planned for: New York City’s brutal February wind.

💨 “I’m Not Going Up There!”

When the couple arrived at the building, the gusts were fierce. The temperature hovered below freezing. Marco, nervous but excited, was ready to make the climb.

Jeanette, however, took one look at the wind whipping around the observation deck and said what every sensible person would:

“No way. I’m not going up there. It’s freezing!”

Marco froze — not from the cold, but from panic. His entire proposal plan had just blown away with the wind.

But instead of giving up, he laughed. And that’s when the now-legendary “King Kong” line was born.

🦍 “If You Won’t Go Up, King Kong Will Come Down!”

Standing at the base of the building, Marco looked up, pretending to talk to the top.

“Well,” he said with mock seriousness, “if you won’t go up there, King Kong will just have to come down here and do it for me.”

Jeanette burst into laughter. The tension melted instantly. It wasn’t the grand, cinematic moment he’d planned — it was better. It was them: imperfect, spontaneous, and full of laughter.

And so, right there on the sidewalk in the freezing New York cold, Marco got down on one knee.

💎 The Ring… and the Twist

Jeanette said yes. Tears, laughter, and shivering all mixed into one unforgettable moment.

But what happened next has become family legend — and a story she still teases him about today.

After she accepted, Marco realized he’d made a rookie mistake. The ring was just a little too loose. Afraid it might slip off in the cold, he hesitated — and then did something no one saw coming.

He gently took the ring back.

“I just wanted to make sure it didn’t fall off and roll into a subway grate!” he said, laughing as he recounted the moment years later.

Jeanette rolled her eyes. “He proposed, I said yes, and then he took the ring back! Who does that?”

😂 “That’s When I Knew”

Looking back, Jeanette admits that was the moment she realized Marco wasn’t just funny — he was real.

“He wasn’t trying to impress anyone,” she said. “He was nervous, sweet, and so honest. I knew right then this was the guy who’d always make me laugh, no matter what life threw at us.”

And life, of course, threw plenty — from raising four children to surviving the ups and downs of political life, public scrutiny, and endless campaign trails.

Through it all, that same mix of humor and humility became their secret weapon.

💕 27 Years Later

Today, after nearly three decades together, the Rubios say they still find new reasons to laugh.

“He still tells the King Kong story every Valentine’s Day,” Jeanette said, smiling. “And yes — I still remind him that he took the ring back.”

Marco, grinning, added: “She’s never let me live that down. But honestly, it’s perfect. It reminds us that love isn’t about perfection. It’s about showing up, even when things don’t go as planned — and finding the joy in the chaos.”

🌹 Beyond Politics, a Partnership

Though much of the world knows Marco Rubio as a sharp political mind and U.S. senator, those who know the couple best say his truest strength has always been his family.

Friends describe Jeanette as his anchor — steady, compassionate, and wise. “She’s the calm in every storm,” one longtime aide said. “She’s the one who keeps him laughing when the world feels heavy.”

And Marco often echoes that sentiment publicly. In one of his most touching interviews, he said:

“I don’t think I’d have made it through this career without her faith, her patience, and her humor. Jeanette is the heart of our home — and my favorite reason to come back every night.”

💫 “The Best Yes I Ever Got”

As the couple marked their 27th anniversary, Marco shared a short message that summed it all up perfectly:

“Twenty-seven years of love, laughter, and one unforgettable proposal. The best ‘yes’ I ever got.”

Sometimes, the most romantic stories aren’t about perfect timing or flawless plans — they’re about two people who can laugh when everything goes wrong, and still find the magic in the moment.

For Marco and Jeanette Rubio, that moment happened on a freezing New York sidewalk — with laughter, a King Kong joke, and a love story that’s still going strong nearly three decades later.