'Love Island USA' season 5 winners Marco Donatelli, Hannah Wright tailgate in Florida

BOCA RATON — How often can you say you found love on a reality dating show in a villa in the middle of Fiji?

For Marco Donatelli and Hannah Wright, the answer is once.

On Aug. 27, Donatelli, of Boca Raton, and Wright, of Palm Springs, California, were crowned the season 5 winners of “Love Island USA,” the dating show that took them to that villa in Fiji.

After meeting on the second day of what would later become the 40-day series, Donatelli and Wright were instantly drawn to one another. They were among the 33 singles cut off from society to find their match on-air, which is key to making it through the show.

Without a partner, contestants end up at risk of being dumped from the island. But the winning couple, decided by votes from fans, receives a cash prize at the end — $100,000, which they split.

Beyond America’s TV screens, Donatelli, 22, and Wright, 24, continue to exchange glances of pure admiration for each other. The public saw it during the pair’s first outing post-show at Disneyland in California and again, at a Florida Atlantic University season opening tailgate. Donatelli is a chiropractic student at FAU, and Wright is a teacher in Palm Springs, California.

Donatelli and Wright’s playful demeanor was no different during an exclusive conversation with The Palm Beach Post. For Wright, the trip marked her first time in Florida and a glimpse into Donatelli’s life in Boca Raton.

Here’s what they had to say after their whirlwind summer and "Love Island USA."

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Marco Donatelli: When I was in the villa, I didn't really think about the outside world, or if people were watching. I honestly didn't even know what I was getting into. But when we stepped into Disneyland, the first 10 feet we were in there, someone asked us for a picture and reality hit us right away.

Hannah Wright: The different demographics of people that watch the show is just crazy. We have families coming up to us, dads, boyfriends, young kids. That was really surprising, and I think that just shows how this season we had a very different cast and groups of people that people could relate to.

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How did Marco Donatelli and Hannah Wright end up on the 'Love Island USA' reality TV show?

Marco: I got a direct message on Instagram. 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. They don't seem serious about it around here, especially not at college at FAU. But I realized 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.

Hannah: My like dating life was very non-existent this past year. I was just working and didn't really even go on dates. So, when I saw I saw a casting director post about it, I was like, ‘OK, I'm interested to be in this simulation where you can just stay.’ You can't ghost anybody.

Marco: The whole process of being able to establish a relationship in a microscopic environment, not being able to run away and face your feelings, is what allowed me to be able to find a girl like her and build such a strong relationship. People don't have patience here in South Florida.

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What are the TV reality stars' thoughts on Boca Raton and South Florida?

Hannah: I love it. People are so nice and so friendly. The weather is good. I’m not used to the humidity, but, besides that, I love it. I could definitely see myself moving here, hopefully in the future.

Marco: When we went to the tailgate for the FAU game, everybody came out supporting us. I tried to have as many people come to support the FAU football team because I think it's important after our basketball run. Being back feels amazing. I need to kind of show her what my lifestyle is like here because I'm interested in her moving here because I want to be with her.

What do two 'Love Island USA' TV reality stars do, once in Boca Raton, Florida?

Marco: We're going to go on a little date night to Louie Bossi’s. I'm super excited about that. It's my favorite Italian restaurant here, Probably 100 times I’ve told her. I wanted to show her Throw Social, my favorite place to go out, take her down to Boca Pavilion, the beach once it's less windy.

Hannah: I want to see a gator.

Reality TV stars had a lot of love from Florida, but what is it that had 'Love Island USA' fans swooning?

Hannah: Something that people told us was that we're very relatable. We never wanted to try to hide our little arguments or our emotions. That's not easy to do, but you really do forget about the cameras. I don't open up to people easily, but we felt comfortable opening up to each other and then opening up to the world. It means a lot that people just want to be our friends.

Marco: Just being able to be relatable, being genuine, showing that love can happen on reality TV with your best friend. I’ve been a single man for four years, I know when I meet the right one. I know when someone can come and change me, and that was definitely Hannah.

What was it like to meet each other's families?

Hannah: He came to the first family party (in California) and it was nice just for him to be there with them. For him to be in my hometown meant so much to me. I'm like, ‘Wow, you're really here. We were just in the villas, spent two months together, now you're in my hometown, meeting my people who make me, me.’

Marco: (She met) 10 of (my friends), probably at eight o'clock in the morning, were blasting DJ Khaled’s “All I Do Is Win.” They had the finale on the TV playing. They were rockin’ tequila. They were ready for us.

NOTE: On Wednesday, Sept. 13, the two will depart from Florida to Ohio, where Hannah will meet Marco's family.

What don't people know about Marco Donatelli and Hannah Wright of 'Love Island USA?'

Marco: A whole bunch.

Hannah: Maybe the fact that we are private people. Our circles are very small. This was very out of our comfort zone, we used to call it a simulation. I am a big Real Housewives fan. If there's any real housewives out there, I love Potomac and Atlanta.

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Marco: She likes to cook Mexican dishes. It's a good time for her to show me where she comes from, her culture. We're going to make tacos for a friend tonight. I love to work out and I work out at Redcon, they've been a huge supporter of me. I love to walk my dog. People don't really know how much you miss something. They just see me on a TV, but that whole time I'm missing my dog like crazy.

After 'Love Island USA,' what's next for the couple?

Hannah: I'll be here for about two weeks total before I go to Ohio with him, and then I'll go home. I think we'll see what happens when I get back to California. But nothing's tying me to California, which is good.

Marco: After the holiday season, she’s going to be moving (to Boca Raton). We’re not going to have time during that.

Hannah: Yeah, sooner than later.

Marco: Hopefully, before spring.

Hannah: Shout out to Boca for the support, and Florida as a whole.

Marco: Florida carried us, I think.

Jasmine Fernández is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at jfernandez@pbpost.com. Help support our work. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Peacock's Love Island USA season 5 winners may call Boca Raton home