TurtleGuy: Past and Present

I was born in the Bronx, New York on November 30, 1972. I have a younger sister named Patricia and two awesome parents named Antonio and Francesca. As amazing as it may sound, my interest in insects, reptiles, and amphibians began in the Bronx. While just a young boy, my next-door neighbor had a large flower and vegetable garden which attracted many different species of insects. The Praying Mantis being my favorite, indirectly caused my discovery of the reptile world. I was "out in the field" one day (an abandoned lot behind a nearby supermarket) looking for mantids when I innocently turned over a discarded piece of carpeting and uncovered 27 common brown (DeKay's) snakes. I know the exact number because I collected every last one of them and rushed them home to show my parents (Boy were they surprised!). I ultimately ended up releasing them back into their abandoned lot, but my interest had already been sparked.

When I was 10, my dad (constantly striving to improve our quality of life) moved my family to the "suburbs" - a nice city (compared to NYC) called Yonkers in Westchester County, New York. Although Yonkers and the Bronx bordered each other, my "field activities" proved to be many times more fruitful after the short northward move. Red-backed and Slimy Salamanders, Pikerel and Bull Frogs, Garter and Northern Water Snakes were all in abundance (if you knew where to look) around my new home. I spent the following few spring and summer seasons in herpetelogical bliss - or so it seemed - until we moved to Scottsdale, Arizona.

I spent my last two high school years living in Scottsdale, which is situated in the heart of the Sonoran Desert. The southwest's many similarities to southern Europe are what convinced my parents to make the move. Herpetelogically speaking, those were the best two years of my life. Black Widows, Desert Hairy Scorpions, Banded Geckos, Colorado River Toads, Sonoran Spotted Whiptails, Desert Iguanas, Chuckawallas, Gila Monsters, Western Diamondback Rattlers, Shovel-nosed snakes and of course, the beautiful Desert Tortoise, just to name a few, could all be found within walking distance of my home - if not in my own backyard! I was in heaven. Of the many different species of animals that surrounded me, I only kept a breeding colony of banded geckos (Coleonyx variegatus) and two juvenile desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) captive during those two years. Upon graduating from high-school, my family and I moved back to Yonkers, New York. Being in the elevator business, my dad ultimately realized that the only way he was going to be able to help me pay for my education at NYU was by going back to where his "bread and butter" (aka: thousands of elevators) were - NYC! My breeding colony of banded geckos went with me, but as much as I loved the tortoises, I knew in my heart that it would be unfair to remove them from their natural habitat. Therefore, I left them behind, in the care of one of my teachers, who had a few of her own that she had raised since childhood.

Four Years later, in May of 1994, I graduated from New York University. It was obvious during the course of those 4 years that my heart was still partial to chelonians. Aside from banded geckos and various species of rat snakes (genus Elaphe), I became increasingly interested in the "traditional" genus Clemmys. This interest arose when I found a pair of North American Wood Turtles (now Glyptemys insculpta) on a trout fishing trip in 1991. They quickly became my favorite pets, and I soon realized that all I wanted to keep were turtles. My collection of Clemmys slowly grew to include 2.4 Wood Turtles and 2.4 Spotted Turtles (Clemmys guttata). Just before I graduated, I met my lovely wife Maria. I didn't go on to become a Doctor, but having met the perfect woman and having found such a rewarding hobby had made my life virtually complete. At that point, all I needed was a job!

I spent the next two years driving three hours, each way, every weekend between New York and Pennsylvania to visit Maria while trying to convince her to marry me. A very dedicated suitor if you ask me! Even after I proposed to her and she accepted, I'm sure she still had her doubts. I say this because at that point, I had already gone "turtle crazy." I sold off my breeding colony of banded geckos and most of my rat snakes and used the money to purchase my first true "exotic" land tortoise - The Eastern European Spur-Tailed or Hermann's Tortoise (Testudo hermanni boettgeri). This tortoise is a Mediterranean species which adapts well to my temperate Pennsylvania climate. I purchased the tortoise from Glades Herp of Fort Myers, Florida. They are, in my opinion, one of the more reputable "mail-order" herp dealers in the country.

Maria and I were married on October 6, 1996. We had a huge Italian wedding (with our parents' help) and a luxurious 10-day honeymoon at a Sandal's Resort on the Carribean island of Antigua. By this time, I had a secure career as a Sleep Disorders Technologist, and transferred to a Sleep Laboratory in central Pennsylvania so that Maria could be near her family (am I great or what?). I was turned on to sleep disorders via some of my pshychology courses at NYU. I never expected to make Sleep Medicine and Technology a career. Within a short time, I took my Boards and became a Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT). I now oversee the Good Samaritan Hospital Sleep Disorders Center here in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. For more information on the Good Samaritan Health System and its wide range of services, please visit the website: GSHLEB.org. For more information on sleep disorders and sleep testing, you can contact me at the Sleep Disorders Center which is listed under the Outpatient Services. Many more people are plagued by sleep disorders than are willing to admit. The field is growing exponentially, which makes my job very secure - Thank God!

Life in Pennsylvania is great. Vast expanses of farmland, rolling meadows, vibrant wetlands, and the Appalachian mountains provide the tranquility and security that are idealized in the classic "American Dream." We have two beautiful and amazing sons, Antonio (born January 26, 2001) and Salvatore (born June 5, 2003). Maria is part owner of a beauty salon located in historic, downtown Lebanon. When I'm not scoring sleep studies, changing diapers, feeding, bathing & playing with the boys, or feeding/cleaning the turtles, I like to be out in the field, studying the native herpetofauna. Needless to say, Maria and I are two, very busy parents! Our life together got off to a great start, and with the addition of our beloved sons, just gets better with each passing day.

Living right in the middle of Amish Country, I can say there's nothing like down-home Pennsylvania-Dutch cooking. Lebanon Bologna, Rivel Soup, Shepard's Pie, Shoe-fly Pie, and Fritters, just to name a few, can make even the most health-conscious person binge. The fact that Maria's family are proprietors of a local chain of pizzeria-restaurants famously known as A&M Pizza - Fratelli Amato doesn't help either. At least I know I'll never starve to death!

OK, so it has been a while since I updated my biography. Much has happened since my last update. Antonio is going to be 3 years old in a week! He's everything we could have ever wanted in a child and more. He's smart, witty, affectionate, inquisitive, sensitive, etc., etc. He will make a great role model for his younger brother, "little" Sal. This little guy is a regular chip off the old block. I like to call him "mini-me." Here's a photo of them both with a Pennsylvania Dutch Santa Claus taken at our home this past Christmas (2003).

Other great stuff has happened too. Maria and I purchased a much larger home to accomodate our growing family. It sits on a lavishly landscaped, acre of property which is ample space for both our boys and all our turtles. My wife's sister, Antonella, also had a baby boy, Vincenzo Pasquale, who just turned a year old this past August. My sister, Patricia, got married to a really great guy named Darin. Darin is the proprietor of the upscale "Fireplace & Patio Shoppe" in Eastchester, NY. If you want to take a look at some of their merchandise online, checkout EnjoyYourHome.com. Tricia and Darin also jumped right into baby-making. Their son, Edward Louis DelGardo, was born on September 2, 2003. Looks like there's alot of Y chromosomes floating around in this gene pool, huh? Anyways, we were all together at our house this past Christmas as can be seen in this gorgeous photo of all 4 cousins sitting together by the tree. From left to right are Antonio, Eddie, Sal, and Vincenzo. Lookout GQ!!!

Here's a photo of me and my boys taken on Valentine's Day 2004 just after we made breakfast for our darling Maria.

Here's a photo of my family taken at my wife's brother Jack's wedding on June 6, 2004. I was an usher and Antonio was a ring bearer. Jack married a wonderful Argentine woman named Sandra. Are there any Latinos in the house???

Christmas 2004 is soon upon us, and this season I decided to avoid the hassle of using supposedly "professional" photographers for our sons' holiday photo and took it myself. I think I did a pretty good job if you ask me. Don't make fun of my tree. Anyone who has ever had young ones at home knows that simple is better!