David Bratton

David Bratton, 58, of Cliffwood, New Jersey, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, March 8, 2026. A man of big personality and even bigger heart, David had a gift

that few possess - he could walk into any room and leave everyone in stitches, rattling off movie lines with the precision and passion of a man who had seen Goodfellas and Scarface more times than most people have had hot chicken wings - and David had a lot of chicken wings.

David was a man who knew what he loved and loved it without apology. Though not Italian by birth, he was fully Italian by heart - a devoted admirer of everything Italian, from a perfectly made Italian sub to the big-screen world of mob classics. If it had a leather jacket, a wise guy, or a Brooklyn accent, David was all in. He kept the spirit of the Fonz alive wherever he went, and his love of the mafia genre was less a hobby and more a calling. He could deliver any line, from any film, at exactly the right moment - a talent that made him unforgettable at every gathering.

A proud high school graduate, David was also a lifelong and passionate wrestling fan whose loyalty to Hulk Hogan and Hulkamania never wavered. The NWO era of

wrestling was sacred ground for David, and he wore his fandom like the motorcycle jacket he cherished. He was the kind of man who believed that Hulkamania would, in

fact, run wild forever.

Above all, David loved his family. His two nephews, Christian and Noah Wardell, brought him tremendous joy - and anyone who witnessed him with them saw a side of

David that was pure, warm, and completely devoted. He filled the lives of those around him with laughter, loyalty, and memories that will not fade.

David was predeceased by his stepfather, David Fariello, the man he loved as his true father in every sense of the word, and by his biological father, Robert David Bratton.

He is survived by his devoted mother, Arlene (Amon) Fariello; his loving sister, Barbara Wardell of Brick; and his two cherished nephews, Christian and Noah Wardell. He

leaves behind a family forever changed by knowing him.

At the request of his family, David will be privately cremated. Friends and relatives are invited to a memorial visitation on Monday, March 16, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 4:00PM. At that time a prayer service will be held at the funeral home at 3PM.