John J. Badagliacca: Mr.
Fix-It
Not
that many people get to be somebody's soul mate. John J.
Badagliacca truly did, says his wife. It began when they
were 10 and she fell over his bicycle in their Staten
Island schoolyard. They became friends that day and were
married in 1992.
O.K., they did break up a few times. Sort of. Mr.
Badagliacca wanted to date others when he took a share in
a summer house and when he got his first car. "All the
convenient times," Nancy Badagliacca said with a laugh.
"But we had all the same friends, were always together.
We were perfect for each other. The first kiss was his,
the first everything."
They enjoyed the same things, especially spending time
with their children, Nikki, 6,and John, 4, at their
summer home. Mr. Badagliacca, 35, a bond salesman with
Cantor Fitzgerald, rebuilt that old house in Brick, N.J.,
from the beams out with his brother-in-law.
He kept their house in Staten Island in good shape,
too.
"He was soooo organized," Mrs. Badagliacca recalled.
"If a bulb went out he would have to change it in the
next minute. If my cabinets got messy, he would
reorganize them. It would drive me nuts! And his tools --
you can't touch his tools."
He was so handy that she would tell him he could
change professions. "I'd say, 'You could do just that.'"
She paused. "I wish he did."
.
