'Soul on Fire,' Film Based on the Life of Saint Louis University Alumni John O'Leary, Opens Friday, October 10
Maggie Rotermund
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"Soul on Fire," a film based on the life story of John O'Leary (CSB '99) and shot on the campus of Saint Louis University in 2023, opens in theatres nationwide on Friday, Oct. 10. The film had a star-studded world premiere in St. Louis at Powell Hall on Oct. 2.
“I've been to a lot of openings in my lifetime, but I had to come to St. Louis for one like this,” actor William H. Macy told the crowd following the screening.
From director Sean McNamara, “Soul on Fire” is inspired by the true story of St. Louis native John O'Leary. The film begins with his accident and recovery from burns at age 9. Given no chance of survival, he endures an difficult road to recovery with the support of his family, community and the kindness of his idol, Hall of Fame broadcaster Jack Buck, played by Macy.
A Story Worth Sharing
O’Leary was burned at the age of 9 after playing with gasoline and matches in his family’s garage. His injuries were severe – 87 percent of the burns were third-degree – and he was given little chance of surviving the incident. O’Leary spent five months in the hospital before returning home.
He enrolled at SLU, where he eventually met his wife, Beth (Hittler) O’Leary (Doisy ’01).
“My wife, we met here on campus, we became friends here on campus and eventually fell
in love here on campus,” he said. “It’s cool to have all those the places that we
used to haunt, whether it’s Humphrey’s or the quad, or College Church featured in
the film.”
After college, he started a real estate development business while Beth worked as an occupational therapist.
O’Leary didn’t talk much about the accident that changed his life. His parents, Susan and Denny (Law '68), started the conversation for him when, in 2005, they published a book, Overwhelming Odds, about that fateful day in 1987 and the journey for their family that followed.
“It was an unauthorized biography of my life,” O’Leary told Universitas in 2016. “It changed my life.”
His parents’ telling of it helped him realize that the fire and its aftermath were catalysts, bringing out the very best in himself, his family, and those around them. Three months after his parents’ book was published, O’Leary was asked to give a speech about his experiences. He’s been talking ever since.
In 2016 he published his first book, On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life, was published by Simon & Schuster.
Read more about "Soul on Fire" from Universitas
About SLU
Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic research institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 13,300 students a rigorous, transformative education that challenges and prepares them to make the world a better place. As a nationally recognized leader in research and innovation, SLU is an R1 research university, advancing groundbreaking, life-changing discoveries that promote the greater good.