Overwhelming Odds

This inspirational story is written by Susan and Denny O'Leary, who find themselves inside any parent's worst nightmare. On an ordinary wintry day in a quiet St. Louis suburb, their son John is engulfed by flames after a gasoline explosion. John, just nine years old, critically injured and begging to die, is transported to St. John's hospital where he remains for more than four months, with 98% of his body severely burned. Against all odds, John lives. Along the arduous road to recovery he meets and is helped by a cast of fascinating and sympathetic characters: Jack Buck, announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals; Gino Cavallini, dynamic member of the St. Louis Blues hockey team; Glenn Cunningham, motivational speaker and former Olympic champion; and a host of family, medical providers, friends, and strangers, who share themselves, their talents and their God to help John first survive and eventually thrive. ... John and Beth O'Leary are proud parents of three young boys and live in Webster Groves, Missouri. Because of the poignant response from this book, John has established himself as an international speaker. Each year, John consistently shares his message with over 160 organizations within the fields of healthcare, sales, marketing, financial services and education. Susan O'Leary recounts the miraculous and triumphant fight of her then 9-year-old son to survive and recover from a devastating burn covering 98% of his body. The book unveils a truth of universal importance, namely, by helping others in need we canbecome their miracles. "The inspirational story of nine-year-old John O'Leary's miraculous and triumphant fight to survive from burns on 100% of his body"--Cover The inspirational story of a nine-year-old boy’s miraculous and triumphant fight to survive burns on 98% of his body. November 22, 2003 was without question the happiest day of my life.