M Badler

Special Anglers are Special People



Posted: Tuesday, May 31, 2005

by M Badler
Executive Security Group, LLC

Dad finds respite for son in fishing

By Jenny Vogt

Palm Beach Post Staff writer

M arvin Badler’s greatest pleasure is watching his son fish.

Aboard a boat on even a topsy-turvy sea, Badler’s normally spirited son is transformed when he has a rod in his hand. Brain-injured at birth, David magically finds tranquility while fishing – much to the delight of his father. “David is sort of a hyper person," explained Badler, of Boca Raton . “When he goes fishing, it clams him down. Even my wife cannot understand how David, when he was much younger would just sit still and wait for the fish to bite."

Badler recently sponsored a fishing trip for 20 developmentally disabled residents of for local Jewish Association for Residential Care (JARC) group homes. The residents, including David went fishing aboard a 70 foot boat.

“It was a great day," Badler said. “It’s just the joy of seeing them do something they might not otherwise have had the opportunity to do."

Badler was assisted by members of the Boca Pointe Fishing Club, which he founded about 9 moths ago to meet other anglers. Taking JARC members on a fishing trip id just the first of what he hopes will be many other charitable efforts by the club.

“We hope to make it an annual event," he said. “And we really don’t want to make it a competition. We just want to catch fish."

Badler said he fishes at least once a month with his son, who started fishing with him at the age of 5. The younger Badler caught a 50 pound sailfish about five years ago while fishing with his father.

“I think I got more excited then he did to be honest with you," Badler said.

Born in New York City , Badler worked in security and investigations most of his professional life before retiring to Florida .

He has worked as a bounty hunter, terrorism expert, airline security chief, chief investigator for the NYC Department of Correction and private investigator among other things. He has been sought out for his expertise by all the major networks and the television show 60 minutes, and he was an adviser to Robert DeNiro on the movie M idnight Run.

“I’ve done a lot of things." Badler said, “And, always there has been fishing in between them all."

These days, he enjoys retirement with his wife, Helen, and doing occasional consulting work. He is happiest spending days fishing with his favorite fishing buddy.

: Even if we don’t catch any fish, we have a good day," he said. “I’m with David and he’s with me."

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