Rob and Amber Mariano Welcome Daughter Lucia Rose
 Alexandra Wyman / WireImage |
They survived two seasons apiece on both CBS’s Survivor and The Amazing Race and even their own FOX reality show, Rob and Amber: Against the Odds. Now Rob and Amber Brkich Mariano are taking on their most daunting challenge yet — parenthood.
Amber, 30, gave birth to daughter Lucia Rose Mariano on the Fourth of July at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Fla., Rob, 33, tells PEOPLE exclusively.
With a first name of Italian origin meaning “light of God” and a middle name as a tribute to her paternal grandmother, who died on the Fourth of July, Lucia arrived weighing 6 lbs., 11.5 oz. and measuring 19 ¼ inches long. “Both mom and baby are healthy and doing great,” says Rob.
“Lucia is a great eater and sleeps a lot, however she tends to be a bit of a night owl like her daddy at times,” he adds. “She is a perfect baby and we could not have asked for anything more. We are over the moon with happiness at her arrival!”
More details below!
Amber Brkich competed on Survivor: The Australian Outback, which aired in 2001. Rob Mariano was first seen on Survivor: Marquesas in 2002. Both formed a winning alliance on Survivor: All-Stars, which concluded with Rob’s on-air proposal to Amber during the May 9, 2004 finale. After competing on the seventh season of The Amazing Race as an engaged couple, the two wed on April 16, 2005. In 2007, they took on The Amazing Race again during its All-Star season.
In 2005, Amber told PEOPLE: “We both come from a family of three kids, so I would like to have three kids, but you never know what happens, so hopefully we are blessed with at least one child and then we would both like to adopt one day if possible.”
Two years later, she spoke to PEOPLE about their plans for a family. “We definitely want a family and we’ve been talking about it,” Amber said. “But I think it was also important for us to spend the first couple of years just the two of us together.” Rob added, “We are not trying right away but when it happens, it happens.”
Source: PEOPLE
– Cynthia Wang
- Posted on Aug 2, 09 at 10:45PM
- Permalink
- 42 Comments
August 2nd, 2009 at 11:20 pm
Wow! Congrats to them!!! Did we even know that she was expecting?
August 2nd, 2009 at 11:24 pm
Congrats to them on their new baby girl! Did they make it known that they were having a baby?
August 2nd, 2009 at 11:31 pm
thats a nice name:)
August 2nd, 2009 at 11:46 pm
Congrats to them – I really liked them on “Survivor All Stars”! I had no idea she was even expecting. Love the name and can’t wait to see pics!
August 2nd, 2009 at 11:55 pm
What a surprise! That’s fantastic news, congratulations to them! I really enjoyed watching their story evolve through the different seasons of Survivor and eventually the Amazing Race. Maybe one day Lucia will be able to watch the beginning of her parents relationship on TV!
August 2nd, 2009 at 11:57 pm
That’s good that they kept it private. I really can’t stand when reality stars make a big production out of their pregnancy.
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:09 am
Congrats to them. I had no idea she was even pregnant.
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:31 am
Congrats to Rob and Amber on their baby girl!!! Loved them on Survivor & Amazing Race! Beautiful name as I’m sure she’s a beautiful baby!!! =)
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:33 am
Congrats to them. Definitely a surprise. Haven’t heard about them in years since they got married.
August 3rd, 2009 at 1:08 am
I’m guessing from everyone’s comments, no one knew about this pregnancy. Since the got married, they’ve kept a low profile. A wise move.
Congrats to them both on their beautiful angel.
August 3rd, 2009 at 2:45 am
That’s awesome!
I’m guessing its Lu-chi-a if they’re going with the italian or is it more common to amercanise it with lucy-a?
Anyone know the pronunciation?
August 3rd, 2009 at 4:39 am
Congratulations! Loved them on Survivor and The Amazing Race.
August 3rd, 2009 at 6:04 am
Congrats, I’m so happy for them. Love the name!
August 3rd, 2009 at 7:31 am
You know I was seriously just thinking of this couple this weekend. I was going to search Robs name and see if they had any children yet!
I really like these 2. Congrats
August 3rd, 2009 at 8:13 am
Wow, Amber looks great in that photo. I actually like these two together.
August 3rd, 2009 at 9:27 am
Is this a relatively recent photo? She looks maybe 4-5 months pregnant.
August 3rd, 2009 at 9:47 am
Gorgeous name for what is en equally gorgeous baby I’m sure. Congrats!
August 3rd, 2009 at 9:58 am
Congrats!
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:10 am
congrats to them. Their ‘love story’ is definitely a good one.
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:25 am
I didn’t even know she was pregnant!! They’re are such a cute couple and he is hilarious, I watched them on Survivor & The Amazing Race as well. I think you pronounce her name as “Lou shu”, like the island???
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:06 am
Wasn’t a fan of them at ALL on either show, but congrats to them on their little girl. Beautiful name.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:07 am
Beautiful name on paper. The downside, as we’ve seen here, is that there are three legitimate pronunciations: Lou-SEE-ah (Spanish), Lou-CHEE-ah (Italian), or LOU-sha (English). However, they’re probably going to call her Lucy, as most recent parents of Lucias do. Btw, Lucy comes from the Latin ‘lux’, which just means “light”, not “light of God”.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:28 am
Aw, congrats to them! I love how Rob and Amber had their wedding on TV (as part of some CBS thing so she could share the Survivor $$$ with Rob) but managed to keep their lives private for the most part. I love how down to Earth they seemed in that special, opting for low key everything.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:30 am
While it is fabulous that they had a healthy baby girl. I am always so annoyed with reality tv show contestants that are treated like celebrities.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:39 am
Congrats to them!
My name is Lucia, pronounced lou-CHEE-a, the Italian way, which is the pronunciation I’d assume the Marianos would use. I have gone through my whole life with people unsure of my preferred pronunciation when they first meet me, but fortunately my parents taught me to be patient and polite with people about it. My sister-in-law Kirsten gets her feathers more ruffled with the KEER-sten vs. KER-sten than I do about my name’s pronunciation.
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:28 pm
They did have another reality show called ‘Rob and Amber against the odds’ in 2007…I hope they have grown up some since then, they still seemed rather immature!
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:44 pm
There are some reality show stars who do become celebrities as a result of their show and have a huge fan base and therefore are treated as such. Celebrity does not mean actor, singer, etc. Celebrity means someone who is instantly recognized in society by the masses and has notoriety, which these two had at one point. It does not speak for what they did to gain such fame and recognition.
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:49 pm
I didn’t know Amber was even expecting!!
Wahooo!
August 3rd, 2009 at 4:01 pm
I love that name! And it flows so beautifully with the middle and last names. Congrats, I have no doubt she’s a beautiful little girl.
August 3rd, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Oh my goodness, congrats to these two! As someone form Boston, Rob’s hometown, we all had so much pride when he was on TV. I feel like these two have been together forever, wondered when they’d have a little one : )
August 3rd, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Lucia Rose was one of the top name contenders for my husband and I for our two week old. Glad we went with a more out of the way name when it’s getting this publicity! Obviously, I do love the name, though.
August 3rd, 2009 at 8:46 pm
What a lovely name! It’s weird, for some random reason I looked them up on wikipedia the other day, and VOILA I hear this news a few days later!! We never heard about Amber’s pregnancy, did we? That’s great they were able to keep that to themselves! Congrats!! I love them!!
August 4th, 2009 at 1:53 am
Lara- Actually, Lucia and Lucy mean “bringer of light”. That meaning comes from Saint Lucia, who was said to wear a “crown of lights” on her head.
August 4th, 2009 at 11:31 am
cool!congrats!
August 4th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
I didn’t know they were expecting either. Did they ever go public with the info? I’m really happy for them. They got married right around the same time I did and had their first baby around the same time as me too. They make a beautiful couple and I’m sure their daughter is a total cutie. Wish them and all new parents the best!
August 4th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Congrats Amber and Rob on your new arrival.
Lucia Rose Mariano that’s a perfect name. And with your wife’s birthday coming up you have to get Amber something really awesome and now you got a baby to take care of. No wonder you needed all of the winnings from survivor for your little girl. Congrats you two I hope that you give Lucia a silbing someday.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Best wishes. I know you both will be great parents
August 5th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Congratulations! I still think that you two should have won that first Amazing Race – planes never turn back to pick late people up!!! Oh well – you’re big winners with Lucia Rose …priceless!!!
August 8th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Congrats to Amber & Rob! Glad to see they are still going strong…
August 14th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Congratulations!! and God Bless the 3 of you.
September 2nd, 2009 at 7:01 pm
They copied me! My new daughter’s name is Lucia Rose (the Sweedish version).
September 5th, 2009 at 11:36 am
That’s nice – time to be two, then a nice addition to the family. My first thought about a daughter was, “I wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of any boyfriend that girl brings home to meet daddy.”