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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: jennifer harris On: 12/1/2011 ID: 573
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No After n/a
there is no movie of lady of the angels fire,there is a movie called Finding john christmas, it has a refrence to ola,but the fire they had is called Holy Family school.i wonder if it's on dvd? and planet 51 and I forget the other one has john J? the kid who wanted to be a priest,i think his image.


Posted by: jennifer harris On: 12/1/2011 ID: 572
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No After n/a
I was born on dec 3rd 1973.,my brother,christopher was born december 1st,1978,the day of the fire's anniversary.I don't know if he knows his birthday is on a tragic event. at tops-take pounds off sensibly i should have told about the 53rd anniversary of the ola fire,the moment of silence for the 3 nuns and 92 children who died,because of the kid who started a fire,and didn't tell anybody,tops is mostly old people 60s-80s. they know what they were doing when this happened. lord,why did this happen.those children didn't need to die early,before christmas,it's bad enough a kid drowned on thanksgiving day.We should pray the survivors and the dead children.


Posted by: mary margaret On: 11/30/2011 ID: 571
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Columbus, Ohio
For reasons I don't understand myself, I think about the OLA Fire and its victims every day. I am aware that tomorrow will be the 53d anniversary of that horrible day. I would just like to tell anyone who was impacted by this terrible tragedy that I will be praying for you and your family members. God bless you all.


Posted by: Debbie On: 11/27/2011 ID: 570
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before Newland Ave.
I was merely 3 mos. old when this tragedy occured, but I remember my Father tearing up upon speaking of it as I grew up. He worked near the school and knew many people at work who had children or nieces and nephews or neighbors who attended. He remembered the day distinctly and remembered the horrors of the families affected. His memory of that day never faded. I often think of this horrible fire and send my prayers to those little Angels and to their families. This very well done website is a true memorial to all involved. God Bless the little Angels.


Posted by: Lynn On: 10/24/2011 ID: 569
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No After n/a
It is very sad to think of all those lives lost. My godfather was a student at OLA and he stayed home sick that day, he was in 2nd grade. I can't begin to imagine what it would have been to have gone through that. Prayers for all that lost their lives and also for the survivors that they were able to heal and have made peace with it.


Posted by: karen On: 10/24/2011 ID: 568
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No Before St. Augustine grade school Chicago south side
I remember watching the news of the tragedy on our little Philco TV. There was a feeling of sadness then and that I still feel when I think about the disaster. The order of nuns that taught at my school, the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, also ran St. Anne's Hospital, where a lot of the injured kids were taken. The next day in school, Sister just asked us to remember all involved in our prayers. The fire was hardly mentioned after that. I was in 2nd grade.
Next year, our school got a major safety upgrade. We got new sprinlklers and the fire alarm was connected to the main fire alert downtown.
I really don't think the loss of life would've been that great if that would happen today. From what I have read, people had trouble locating phones. Paramedics that staff todays ambulances are more advanced than in 1958. This fire was the impetus for County Hospital to set up its famed burn unit.
No grief councelors were sent to any of the schools in the archdiocese. That is also something that would be available today. Yes, Father and Sister did their best, but in 1958, that grief counseling was unheard of.
Like St. Paul says in Scripture, All things work out for good for those who love God.


Posted by: Lana Esposito On: 10/21/2011 ID: 567
Enrolled on 12/1/58? Present on 12/1/58? Injured? Age Grade Classroom Teacher
Yes Yes No 8 3 Dont remember
Ii think about this fire often, I don't know why but it has haunted me forever. My brother and cousin were on the second floor in the fire, both were saved. My father was at the school and helped in the rescue of the children. My brother loaned his ring to a student for the day and the boy was wearing it when he died. I often think about that story. I also remember being rushed to the church to safety waiting for our parents to come and get us. I can still smell the smoke. Maybe one day the memory will fade.


Posted by: mary On: 9/15/2011 ID: 566
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No After n/a
My heart and prayers go out to the victims both survivors and perished.
I was born and raised in Chicago. Any time we passed OLA in the car my Mom would tell me about the horrible and sad fire that occurred there.

She was in her 20's at the time and a nursing student.

I am just now reading the book to sleep with angels. I am shocked and amazed at all the experiences. It is amazing with the many delays and highly flammable materials of the building that many survived. Of course that can never alleviate the pain for those lost.

As I am reading I often wonder to myself how would this be handled today?
Given the same information that was revealed in the book.

Now I am a parent and reading the accounts of some of the parents that day brings tears to my eyes.

I have a godmother buried at Hillside and I often pause to say a prayer at the OLA memorial.

I hope in time you have all been able to heal emotionally the best you can given this trauma.

Bless you!


Posted by: gmazzarese On: 9/9/2011 ID: 565
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No After n/a
WHAT IS A VICTIM SOUL AND WHY DO I SAY THE OLA CHILDREN ARE THE TERROR
OF DEMONS? A GUILTY SOUL WHO SUFFERS ONLY PAYS FOR HIS OWN CRIMES. HIS SUFFERING CANNOT SATISFY DEVINE JUSTICE FOR THE SINS OF OTHERS.
A VICTIM SOUL IS AN INNOCENT SOUL WHO SUFFERS. ST. PAUL WAS A VICTIM SOUL AND HE "FILLED UP IN HIS FLESH THE SUFFERINGS THAT WERE WANTING TO THE BODY OF CHRIST"-HIS MYSTICAL BODY-THE CHURCH. THESE CHILDREN
SUFFERED FOR US AND THEY ARE BEING REWARDED FOR IT IN HEAVEN FOREVER.

WE HUMAN BEINGS AND THE GOOD AND BAD ANGELS WERE ALL MADE FOR GOOD THINGS. THE FALLEN ANGELS OR DEMONS ARE NOT PAINED BY SINNERS BE-
CAUSE THEY DO NOT SEE IN US SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT OR NEED. ON
THE OTHER HAND, IN JESUS AND MARY AND ALL THOSE WHO MOSTLY RESEMBLE
THEM THEY SEE A PARADICE LOST. AN UNBEARABLE PAIN WORSE THEN THE FIRE OF HELL.

CALL ON THE OLA CHILDREN AND SEE HOW QUICKLY THE DEMONS OF SIN AND DISPARE FLEE FROM YOU. THIS IS WHY YOU FEEL PEACE IN A CATHOLIC CHURCH. THE DEMONS CANNOT GET NEAR THE BLESSED SACRAMENT.

BELOVED OLA CHILDREN AND TERROR OF DEMONS SHOW US YOUR POWER. BE OUR
HELP IN EVIL TIMES AND PRAY FOR US.


Posted by: Gerard Mazzarese On: 9/8/2011 ID: 564
At OLA on 12/1/58? Born before or after 12/1/58? Where Lived on 12/1/58?
No After n/a
THE OLA CHILDREN ARE VICTIM SOULS CHOSEN BY GOD FOR THEIR GREAT MISSION TO SAVE US IN THIS EVIL AGE. IT'S ONLY BEEN A COUPLE OF DAYS SINCE I HAVE LEARNED THEIR STORY BUT I HAVE CRIED AND PRAYED AND MEDITATED VERY MUCH. THE OLA CHILDREN WOKE UP FROM THEIR NIGHTMARE IN THE MOMENT OF DEATH. ALL HEAVEN, JESUS, MARY, THE ANGELS AND THE SAINTS WERE THERE TO GREET THEM AND TO LEAD THEM UP. ON THEIR HEADS WERE PLACED BEAUTIFUL CROWNS OF EVERLASTING VIRGINITY, MARTERDOM AND VICTIMHOOD. THEY WILL FOREVER BE 8 OR 9 OR 10,11,12,13,14 OR 15.
ADULTS ARE ADULTS IN THE NEXT WORLD BUT CHILDREN REMAIN AS THEY ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE. THEY WERE ORDINARY GOOD KIDS BEFORE THE FIRE BUT THROUGH THE TORROR AND AGONY OF THE FIRE, THEY, IN A FEW SHORT MINUTES, SHOT UP LIKE A REVERSE BOLT OF LIGHTENING TO THE HIGHTS OF SANCTITY. THEY ARE MOST LIKE JESUS BECAUSE OF THEIR INNOCENCE, SUFFERING AND VICTIMHOOD. THEY ARE THE TERROR OF DEMONS.

SUSAN SMALDONE AND ALL YOUR COMPANIONS WE LOVE YOU. PRAY FOR US.