John O’Leary’s ‘Soul on Fire’ | Buffini Podcast
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As a 9-year-old boy, John O’Leary watched neighborhood kids play with fire and gasoline. Curious, he decided one morning to try the experiment himself — lighting a match and tossing it onto a can of gasoline. What began as a tempting, forbidden game took a tragic turn when the can exploded and quickly engulfed the young boy in flames.
John miraculously survived that accident. Now, decades later, he’s a husband, father, bestselling author, and motivational speaker who shares his story with audiences around the world. His message isn’t about that fateful day itself, but rather the long journey of recovery — and the family, friends, and strangers who played such vital roles in it. It’s also a story of how love, fierce persistence, and never, ever giving up can help you endure even the most unimaginable of times.
John has long been friends with Brian Buffini. On a recent episode of Brian’s It’s a Good Life podcast, John recounted his story for those unfamiliar with it and spoke about the new movie based on his life, Soul on Fire.
Faith and Love in Action
John said that if not for the quick actions of his siblings — who rushed to his aid and immediately called first responders—he would not have survived that day. Once at the hospital, as doctors fought to keep him alive, John’s first thought, he said, wasn’t about survival, but about how angry his father, Dennis, might be.
Instead, John recalled, his father walked in and said, “‘John, look at me when I’m talking to you.’ So I look up, and then he adds, ‘I have never been so proud of anyone in my entire life. My little buddy, this morning, I’m just glad to be your dad.’ And then he follows it with, ‘Love you, and there’s nothing you can do about it.’”
John’s mother, Susan, also refused to give up on her son.
“She asked me, ‘Do you want to die? It’s your choice,’” John said. “If not, take the hand of God and fight.”
As John lay in his hospital bed, another person entered his story — legendary St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster Jack Buck. Hearing about the boy on the news, Buck left a charity event in his tuxedo to visit the hospital. He sat down by John’s bed and said, “Kid, wake up. You’re going to live.”
Buck became a constant presence in John’s life. He challenged the young boy to relearn how to write by sending him signed baseballs and asking for handwritten thank-you notes in return. By the end of that summer, John had written 60 letters and received 60 baseballs. What began as a simple act of kindness helped restore not only his hands but his hope.
The years that followed were long and filled with medical complications. John often found himself at a crossroads, doubting whether he was worthy of the second chance he’d been given. It was during a church service that he heard a pastor say words that resonated deeply: “Your life is a precious, priceless gift. You’ve got one job — say yes to being used for good.”
Saying ‘Yes’ to the Mission
That message became John’s mission — starting with a small group of Girl Scouts.
“I belly flopped the landing. It was not a very strong keynote, was not paid even a box of samosas for the effort,” he joked. “So this was not killing it. There was no revenue. I’m not worthy of coaching anyone up. But I did just enough to be invited by one of the dads in the room to speak at his Rotary Club.”
Over time, he became more comfortable sharing his story. Now, as an in-demand keynote speaker, he has shared his message with thousands of people at events of all types, including corporate, faith-based, civic and more. At the heart of each keynote are three core concepts:
- Our life is a sacred, awesome gift.
- We get to choose our mindset in every situation, no matter how bleak it seems.
- Together, we can change the world—starting with our own.
Soul on Fire
John’s life story is now the subject of a new movie, Soul on Fire. To learn more about the film, his speaking engagements and his bestselling books, visit his website johnolearyinspires.com. Click here to listen to the entire podcast with Brian Buffini.
