'Crazy Love Story': LI Lovebirds Compete For 'America's Favorite Couple' Title

LINDENHURST, NY — A "crazy love story" has inspired Long Island's Tom Opiela and Luis Nuñez to win Variety magazine's America's Favorite Couple competition.

The Lindenhurst-based husbands are currently climbing the ranks in the race to win the title of America's Favorite Couple, a nationwide search "for the ultimate love story." The competition not only celebrates love, but serves as a fundraiser for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and Oceana, an organization dedicated to ocean conservation.

If Opiela and Nuñez win, their story will be shared inVariety and they'll take home $20,000, which they plan to use to fix up Tom's belated grandmother's Lindenhurst home, where they reside with extended family, including his mother.

Opiela and Nuñez's story began about three years ago, during a rough patch in Tom's life.

"I met my husband in probably one of the worst years of my life," Opiela told Patch. "Both my grandparents passed away months apart and it really took its toll on my family. However, he always put a smile on my face and knew how to distract me from the pain."

But modern technology helped turn that around, Opiela said, when the couple met on a dating app.

"Our crazy love story started on a dating app and now we’ve been married for three years," Opiela said. He [Luis] was visiting from Brazil and barely spoke English but there was something different about him that drew me in."

Opiela said that as Luis' visa expiration date drew closer, they didn't know what to do, but he knew that he "didn’t want him to leave."

"He threw out the idea of getting married but it scared me," Opiela said. "Then out of nowhere we were on a subway in NYC and a random man stood in front of us and started playing our song on his acoustic guitar. It was crazy, like what are the chances of that?"

Before long, the couple tied the knot at town hall, phased out their use of translation apps as Nuñez learned English and they settled into Opiela's family home where he's lived for "most" of his life.

If they win the $20,000, they plan to give back to the home and family that's given so much to them.

"My grandma was the best, that’s why I want to fix up her house. My mom and I spent most of my life here and it could definitely use some work,"Opiela said. "She passed away but my family all lives there together. It would be nice to fix it up and make it look nice."

The house is also home to a pet cat that the couple rescued from a car engine, an experience that also pays homage to Opiela's grandmother.

"My mom and aunt helped raise it," Opiela said. "My grandma was a huge animal lover, so I know she would be proud to see my family coming together to help raise my cat."

When the competition asked them what their favorite memory they've shared is, they agreed it's traveling together, something Nuñez brought to the marriage.

"My favorite memory is going to Brazil and seeing where he grew up and meeting all his family. He’s taken me all over the world," Opiela said." Before him I had only been on a plane once. Now we’ve traveled to so many countries together."

Despite a love for travel, the couple plans to stay in Lindenhurst, a village Opiela "loves" watching change and grow. They're also considering a "real" wedding, but staying true to Opelia family values, it'll be "a nice family ceremony" for their five-year wedding anniversary.

As of press time, Opiela and Nuñez face another round of voting that ends on Thursday, July 17, at 7 p.m. Their having fun along the way and inspiring their community to vote while keeping their eyes on the prize in hopes of fixing up the family home for future Opiela generations.

"When I heard about this competition I figured 'why not?'" Opiela said. "My husband and I have a unique story so maybe we’d have a chance."

Click here to vote for Tom and Luis.