Hannah moved to Florida and he proposed in Punta Cana — Who is Marco Donatelli from Love Island USA?
Marco Donatelli is a former college athlete, chiropractor, social media influencer, entrepreneur, and TV personality. Donatelli went from viral fame during the 2019 COVID-19 pandemic, winning Love Island USA Season 5 in 2023. Three years later, Marco Donatelli continues to make franchise history by becoming the first contestant to propose to Hannah Wright.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Marco Donatelli is an original islander, entering Love Island USA Season 5 on Day 1.
- Marco Donatelli won the season alongside his now-fiancée, Hannah Wright.
- On 28 May 2025, Marco proposed to Hannah in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, becoming the first Love Island USA couple to get engaged.
- Marco Donatelli and Hannah Wright are planning a wedding on 12 December 2026 .
Profile summary
Full name | Marco Antonio Donatelli |
Common name | Marco Donatelli |
Nickname | Squirrel |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 27 October 2000 |
Age | 25 years as of June 2026 |
Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
Place of birth | Youngstown, Ohio, United States |
Residence | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | Italian-American |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height in centimetres | 191 |
Height in feet | 6'2" |
Hair colour | Brown |
Eye colour | Hazel |
Father | Mark Donatelli |
Mother | Maria G. Donatelli |
Siblings | 1 |
Relationship status | Engaged |
Partner | Hannah Maria Wright |
High school education | Girard High School |
Higher education | The University of Akron, Florida Atlantic University |
Profession | Former college football player, reality TV star, actor |
Social media |
A closer look at Marco Donatelli from Love Island USA
Marco Donatelli was born on 27 October 2000 to Mark and Maria Donatelli in Youngstown, Ohio, United States. He is 25 years old as of June 2026, and his zodiac sign is Scorpio.
Like his son, Marco Donatelli's father was a college athlete, playing baseball at the Pennsylvania State University. In November 2021, Marco and his sister, Maria Donatelli, established a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the First Step Recovery in Warren, Ohio, in honour of their mother, who had passed away from alcoholism.
Source: Original
Growing up, the student-athlete now known for being one of the most successful Love Island contestants attended Girard High School. As a senior, he recorded 120 tackles and seven sacks, averaging 12 tackles per game, a figure that ranked 15th in the state of Ohio. His team reached the state finals in 2018 with a 13-2 record. He graduated in 2019 with a 4.00 GPA.
Marco joined the University of Akron football roster in 2020. He participated in 4 games in that season, recording one defensive tackle and no recorded sacks, tackles for loss, interceptions, or forced fumbles according to the school's official website.
In 2019, he played for the Trumbull County team in the Jack Arvin All-Star Classic on Thursday at Bo Rein Stadium in Niles, Ohio, in the United States.
What does Marco Donatelli do for a living?
Source: Instagram
After graduating from Girard High School, Marco committed to the University of Akron, where he played as a linebacker on its football team, the Akron Zips. He pursued a major in exercise science and physiology while at the university.
In January 2022, he accepted a place at Florida Atlantic University, where he studied pre-physical therapy.
Between May 2019 and May 2023, he worked as a chiropractic assistant at Florida Atlantic University. In October 2021, he took on a similar role at Hoffman Chiropractic, according to his LinkedIn profile.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Marco and his father, Mark Donatelli, went viral after posting a hilarious TikTok video. Marco was seen shopping with his father at Walmart in the video, which received millions of views. They initially captured individuals wearing conventional masks and later panned to themselves, wearing the incorrect type of mask, scuba diving masks.
Source: Instagram
He has continued to work in digital content creation and modelling. After appearing on Love Island USA Season 5, his popularity skyrocketed, and modelling opportunities followed.
Since then, he has worked with brands such as Calvin Klein. In an interview with E! News, he spoke about his rise in the modelling world from an Instagram model.
I got into modelling with the help of one of my friends who lives in the same area as me. We started taking pictures of each other and posting them on our socials, and slowly built the following.
He added,
I kept taking cool pictures, trying to travel and meet all my other friends I already knew on social media. I kept hitting platforms, and then I got invited to New York City for a Calvin Klein photoshoot.
Marco Donatelli's journey on Love Island USA Season 5
Love Island USA Season 5 premiered with ten original islanders on 18 July 2023, hosted by Modern Family actress Sarah Hyland. Follow Mario Donatelli's journey through the villa to the season winner.
Source: Instagram
How did Marco Donatelli end up on Love Island USA?
In an interview with The Palm Beach Post, OG islander Marco Donatelli revealed that he received a direct message on Instagram from the show's producers. He added,
I didn't know what the show was. My friends and I make fun of dating in South Florida because it's so hard. People are moving so fast, but I was really only blaming the girls... But I realised that most of that was kind of how I was acting as a man myself. Love Island allowed me to grow a tremendous amount, emotionally.
His partner, Hannah Wright, who entered as a bombshell on Day 2, got interested in the show after seeing a casting director post about it.
Soon after entering the show, Marco and Hannah quickly formed a connection, coupled up, and remained inseparable for most of the season. Their relationship was briefly tested with the arrival of Hannah Ortega as a bombshell.
On 27 August 2023, Marco and Hannah took home the season winners' crown and $100,000, ahead of the show's runner-up couples, Kassy Castillo and Leonardo Dionicio, and Bergie and Taylor Smith.
What happened to Marco and Hannah after the villa?
Source: Twitter
After leaving the villa, Marco and Hannah transitioned from a long-distance relationship to settling together in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In a June 2024 interview with People, Marco described how they maintained the relationship:
We are making it work by communicating and planning weekly. Each of us has made a list of things we are thankful for and what we bring to the relationship. Figuring out each other's strengths is what makes us the best team possible.
Three years into their relationship, the couple expanded their family with two Goldendoodles, Giuseppe and Carmelo.
On 28 May 2025, Marco proposed to Hannah at the beachside resort, Secrets Cap Cana Resort and Spa, during a surprise trip to Punta Cana. While Hannah believed they were simply on vacation, Marco had been planning the engagement for nine months.
FAQs
- What is Marco Donatelli known for? Marco Donatelli is best known for winning season 5 of Love Island USA.
- What is Marco Donatelli's ethnicity? Marco Donatelli is of Italian heritage.
- How old is Marco Donatelli? Born on 27 October 2000, Marco is 25 years old as of June 2026.
- Who are Marco Donatelli's parents? Marco's parents are Mark Donatelli and the late Maria G. Donatelli.
- Are Hannah Wright and Marco still together? Marco Donatelli and Hannah Wright got engaged in May 2025 and are set to marry in December 2026.
- Where do Hannah and Marco live? Hannah and Marco live together in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with their two Goldendoodles, Guiseppe and Carmelo.
- Did Marco Donatelli win Love Island USA? Marco Donatelli and Hannah Wright were the winners of Love Island USA Season 5.
- Did Hannah and Marco split the prize money? Marco chose to split the $100,000 prize equally with Hannah.
Marco Donatelli went from a viral TikTok video during a pandemic lockdown to winning Love Island USA Season 5. Today, he has settled in Pittsburgh with his fiancée, Hannah Wright, with whom he is planning a late-2026 wedding.
Legit.ng recently published Kordell Beckham's biography, an American reality TV star, model, and media personality. Kordell rose to fame after appearing on Love Island USA Season 6, where he emerged as a winner alongside his partner Serena Page.
Kordell Beckham is the younger brother of NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. After his appearance on the show, Kordell secured a major sponsorship deal with Cheez-It and announced a role in a scripted series, Southern Fried Rice. Explore details of his past and present life, including his childhood background, career journey, and rise to fame.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
