I vividly remember the day of the fire although I was in the second grade at St. Edmund School in Oak Park because one of my classmates, Rosemary Di Canio had just moved in from OLA and we all prayed with her. As a junior in high school I researched the OLA fire for a term paper. I talked with survivors as well as some Chicago firefighters that were at the fire. One firefighter, Lt. Stanley Wojnicki of Engine 85 commanded the first arriving Chicago Fire Dept. unit at the scene. During his account of what he saw when he first arrived at the scene, Lt. Wojnicki bagan to cry. I will always remember that. As a result of the research that I had done and the contacts that I had made with the Chicago Fire Dept., Chief John Wall from headquarters would forward any inquiries about the OLA fire to me. Many years later Greg Cowan wrote his book To Sleep With The Angels. I bought the book to read on a trip. I began reading it at ten in the morning on Saturday and finished it at eight in the morning on Monday. The book kept me in it for all that time. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!!!!! Dave Cowan did a tremendous research job on this book and ALL the names and stories took on a stronger meaning to me. I will never forget OLA and pray often for all those people whose lives this tragic event touched. God Speed, Father Joe.
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