Our Lady of the Angels (OLA) School Fire, December 1, 1958

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Personal Experiences with Our Lady of the Angels School Fire

If you have a personal experience, recollection or opinion about the December 1, 1958 Our Lady of the Angels school fire, whether you were present at the fire or not, you can relate it here. Any story or information is welcome as long as it relates to Our Lady of the Angels school fire.

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Posted by: Dennis Buckley On: 12/30/2009 ID: 507 At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58? No Before Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania Though I did not start school until two years after the fire, I certainly heard about it. One of my earliest school memories was being brought into the cafeteria/gym of our parochial school with the rest of the student body to be shown movies (they looked like home movies)taken at the fire. We were then lectured at length on fire safety and that we had better comply with procedure during the (many) fire drills we had. The nuns basically gave us to understand that none of them were going to get killed because of our failure to understand how to evacuate.

Posted by: LeAnna Koleszarik On: 12/29/2009 ID: 506 At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58? No After n/a My name is LeAnna Koleszarik and I'm Deaf myself! I was surfing on something in beginning of this month shortly after December 1, 2009, (Strange!) So I clicked OLA website connected to other website through Google! So I started to have my eyes glued to it for almost a month, and ordered a book about sleep with the angels! It's so heartbroken, and become obsessed with researching and read over again often! I also asked my gram and 2 older aunts by my father's side! My father was born a year later after that happened on December 28, 1959. Anyways, I did ask my gram about that! She was shocked that I already know about OLA fire recently! She said that she saw on news and cried! So my 2 aunts were about 8 and 6 years old that time! They still remember about that! So now My oldest aunt borrowed my book to read it right now and probably will look through the website but very heartbroken to see the pictures! My father is little over 22 years Firefighter in small town about 15 mins away from Johnstown, Pa! Yeah well known as Great Flood City! I'm more interested to meet some of OLA Survivors to show them that I do cares and give some hugs! I can't image how it would be if my family loses like that! My whole family are Catholic too! To all OLA Survivors, My email is macblueae@yahoo.com, if some of you feel want to share so I'm here to share my heart to heart and listen to them! And also giving my huge strength and bless to all who are still grieving over 51 years and find a Peace knowing that their families,friends, who perished in fire are forever their angels, watching over them! God Bless all of those who Suffered and Survived through! And Happy Healthy New Year 2010! By LeAnna Koleszarik P.S. If one of you plan to write me a letter in Email, Put OLA Fire on Subject so I will know! Thank you! I will NEVER FORGET the OLA Fire for the rest of my life, will keep passing the stories to keep it alive and warn young kids to understand about Fire Drills!

Posted by: Gerrie Campbell On: 12/29/2009 ID: 505 At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58? No Before Chicago, IL I was 15 years old in December of 1958 attending Notre Dame High School in Chicago. I had always gone to Catholic school & felt a real connection with the innocence who died in the Our Lady of Angels fire. The following spring my mother & I went to a religious goods store on State Street to purchase some materials for a project that the nuns who taught at my grammar school, St Fredinand's, needed. My mother always worked to help the nuns who taught me in school. I was busy looking for a particular medal for myself that day. My mother came rushing toward me and pulled me aside warning me to stay close to her. She noticed that a couple who were in the store were paying particular attention to me. Mom always worried about someone harming me. I assured her I was fine and begged her not to be so paranoid. When she finished her search, we went to the counter to pay for our selections. The two men behind the counter gasped and grabbed each other as if in shock & babbling "My God, she does look like her!" Mom pushed me behind her and asked them what was wrong. They told her that a couple had just been in the store, the one that mom was worried about, and shared a picture with them of their young daughter who had died in the AOL fire. They swore that I was a double for their lost daughter. Seeing me there opened a wound in their hearts that had had little time to heal. Upon learning this, Mom began to cry. All I could think about was that I wish I could have met them and in some way helped them with their grief. I have never forgotten the fire or that day at the religious goods store. The years have pushed on but some memories never go away. I send my unending prayers and tears to all those who lost so much that day.

Posted by: Cathy On: 12/26/2009 ID: 504 At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58? No Before Chicago - East Lake View neighborhood I was three years old in December 1958. My brother was in first grade at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School on West Belmont in Chicago. As I grew older, I learned that my parents transferred my brother from Mount Carmel to Nettlehorst, the public school in our neighborhood after first grade, because of the OLA School Fire and what my Protestant father called a cover up and lack of concern of the Archdiocese of Chicago for the safety of the children under its watch. 50+ years later and my father's opinion has been proven to be on the mark once again. Why must children always be the victim of adult arrogance and blindness? Why must power always corrupt absolutely?

Posted by: Claudia On: 12/25/2009 ID: 503 At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58? No Before West Los Angeles I was one year younger than Michele McBride when the fire happened. I remember reading in the L.A. Times about children jumping out of windows and that some had burned to death. This news story was shocking to me, how this horrible fate could befall children, like myself. Then one day I was visiting the San Antonio Central Library, when I saw Michele's book; "The Fire That Will Not Die" and bought it for something like 50 cents (book sale) Being a really big bookworm, with hundreds of books, and more always coming into my personal library, THIS ONE has become very precious to me, and Michele very dear to my heart. I feel certain Michele and all the others are in heaven now,enjoying eternal bliss with the Savior, in that land where there is no more pain, sorrow or crying. Michele passed over to the other side of eternity on 7/4/2001...independence day ! and never had to witness 9/11/2001.

Posted by: Jennifer Harris On: 12/24/2009 ID: 502 At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58? No After n/a Merry Christmas and happy New Year! I hope a Higher Power punished the arsonist,that took all those Angels too soon away from us.You Can do anything,Lord! Why didn't you do anything to stop this fire!You could've stopped the arsonist from making the schoolchildren Angels too soon,lord! in your songs for Christmas,It talks about how you are worth and devine you are. You didn't stop last Christmas Eve's Massacre/Fire,Lord! ,You could've stopped that,too! I felt sorry for Susan Smaldone and all the other Angels that went too soon. and before Christmas,too.

Posted by: Judy On: 12/18/2009 ID: 501 At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58? No Before Los Angeles At the time of this fire, I was a 7th grader attending a Catholic elementary school. I watched all of the footage on television. It had such an impact on me. At our school many changes were made to ensure that the same wouldn't happen at our school. Besides numerous fire drills, they put in fire doors at the top of the stairs. We were made aware of all safety rules to prepare us. I have never forgotten the students, and teachers who perished in the fire. I also have never forgotten the families that have had to live with that memory over 50 years now. I occasionally download the website to relive the memory. Those who are responsible for keeping this memory alive have done a remarkable job.

Posted by: Jennifer Harris On: 12/13/2009 ID: 500 At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58? No After n/a I went to grand Blanc Schools. There was a Catholic School called Holy Family. 51 Years. It was on my brother's birthday,too. He's 31 years old. I feel sorry for the 92 children and 3 nuns who died,I think the arsonist should be horsewhipped for setting his school on fire. A higher power punished him if the police can't.My Your Ride stopped off at St.Thomas Moore Academy,a Catholic School,I asked the 2 boys about OLA,and they never hears of the OLA Fire of 1958,It's not in the history books.

Posted by: Sanks On: 12/8/2009 ID: 499 At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58? No After n/a Does anybody know how many kids from Our lady of Angels went to Our lady of Grace on 2446 N Ridgeway while OLA was being rebuilt? My Grandparents sent 11 children to OLG and 8 graduated from OLG. My Grandparents were at St. Anne's hospital on the day of the fire and watched them bring some of the victims in. My Grandmother was very upset by what she saw that day. They were at St. Anne's with my my Aunt Pat her daughter Laura was sick that day. This was such an awfull event. May our lord and blessed mother always look after the victims families.

Posted by: Ralph Moses On: 12/5/2009 ID: 498 At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58? No Before Chicago north side (Rogers park) I was just four years old on that terrible day, but the OLA fire had a profound affect on me. It is the first news story that I remember hearing about and seeing. I can still remember the innocent victims being carried down the ladders by the grief-stricken fire fighters. I can recall seeing pictures of the burned and scarred survivors in the hospitals. The city and indeed the nation was in shock and mourning for days after. As young as I was, the images of those children--suffering, dying, and dead--has stayed with me throughout my life. I am of the Jewish faith and when I say Kaddish, the prayer for the dead, at this time of year, I vividly recall that day long ago in my own childhood when 92 Catholic children became "angels too soon."

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