GILROY
– You wouldn’t know from driving by their typical suburban
two-story house, but one of the hottest husbands in America calls
Gilroy home.
GILROY – You wouldn’t know from driving by their typical suburban two-story house, but one of the hottest husbands in America calls Gilroy home.
Rey Deliz, one of four runners-up in Redbook magazine’s annual hunt for the country’s hottest husband, lives in Gilroy’s northwest quad with his wife, Joy, and their three sons.
“He’s awesome,” said Joy of why she nominated her husband of 11 years for the contest. “I subscribe to Redbook magazine and read about the contest. I didn’t tell anybody, I didn’t even save the (nominating) letter.”
Redbook editors called three times to interview 33-year-old Rey, a Milpitas firefighter, before naming him a runner up and running his photo and quote in the June issue of the magazine.
“I’m always grabbing my wife and covering her in kisses,” Rey told Redbook. “I just can’t keep my hands off her!”
Rey deserves the title of hottest husband inside and out, said Joy, 35, a 9-1-1 dispatcher in Campbell.
“It’s not just how he looks, but it’s his heart,” she said. “He’s great with his three boys, he volunteers for PE at school, he plays hockey with the boys all the time.”
Son Jacob, 7, chimed in with a hearty “Yeah!” at the mention of his dad and hockey.
Jacob and his brother Max, 6, attend Luigi Aprea School. Younger brother Sam is 3. Max is pictured in the Redbook article with his hunky dad, and the magazine picture is posted in his classroom at Luigi Aprea.
Asked to explain their continuing ardor despite 16 years as a couple and three young children, Joy chalks it up to maturity and gratitude.
“It’s even better than when we were younger,” Joy said of the couple’s passionate relationship. “We’re so much more mature, and we realize how blessed we are.”
The couple also makes it a point to take time out for each other, scheduling date nights for movies or dinner at least every other week.
It’s clear that time has not dimmed their adoration for one another.
“I love my wife,” Rey said. “She’s a sweetheart.”
Rey and Joy both grew up in San Jose and met while they were working at Chess King, since closed, in Valley Fair Mall.
“She was my immediate supervisor,” Rey said, adding with a chuckle, “Still is.”
Rey had hoped to keep his hottest husband status hush-hush, but his coworkers found out and enjoy teasing him.
“Mostly they just whistle,” he said of the good-natured ribbing he’s received.
The clerks at the grocery store in Milpitas where Rey and his fellow firefighters shop also heard about the article and enjoy teasing him when they load up on groceries for the fire station.
Joy said when people call the house for Rey, they don’t ask for him by name anymore.
“They ask if the hottest husband is home,” she said.
Despite his embarrassment with all the attention, Rey is taking it all in stride.
“I’ve never been in the spotlight,” Rey said, but conceded, “It is flattering.”
Rey’s line of work demands that he keep in shape, but he also enjoys playing ice hockey and hits the gym frequently for workouts. Despite that, he’s not looking to enter any more contests.
“It was fun, but I’m retiring,” he laughed. “No more contests, I’m done.”
What surprised him the most about the entire hottest husband experience?
“How many people read Redbook,” Rey said.
The results of this year’s Hottest Husband contest are in the June issue of Redbook magazine, available now. To enter your husband in the 2005 contest, tell the magazine’s editors, in 100 words or less, why your husband is hot and include a recent photo. Entries must be mailed received by Dec. 6 and should be mailed to Redbook/Hottest Husband 2005, P.O. Box 1742, Sandusky, Ohio 44871.
