Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
I spoke with Stephanie Szostak (pronounced Show-Stack), who portrays Susan O’Leary, the mother of John O’Leary, in the powerful new film, 'Soul On Fire'. In 1987, nine-year-old John was playing with matches in his family’s garage when a horrific accident left him with burns nearly 100% of his body. With only a 1% chance of survival, John’s life hung in the balance. Szostak opens up about what it meant to step into the shoes of a mother navigating that kind of unimaginable trauma and strength. She reflects on the incredible courage it took—not just for John to fight for his life—but for Susan to lead her family through that darkness with grit, faith, and fierce maternal love.
'Soul On Fire' is inspired by the true events detailed in John O’Leary’s 2016 bestselling book, 'On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life'. The film, like the memoir, traces John’s extraordinary recovery journey after suffering life-threatening burns as a child. It’s not just a story about survival—it’s about transformation, community, and purpose. While John’s physical healing is at the heart of the narrative, the emotional resilience of his family, especially his mother, is what gives the story its soul.
Szostak spoke candidly about portraying Susan’s strength, her determination to keep her family grounded during chaos and the emotional intensity of reliving such a personal, real-life event. She shared her admiration for the O’Leary family, highlighting how every person around John played a role in keeping him alive, not just the doctors and nurses, but friends, neighbors and strangers who showed up with love and support. She emphasized the deeply human elements of the story: grief, fear, hope and ultimately, the choice to keep moving forward.
Directed by Sean McNamara and written by Gregory Poirier, who adapted O’Leary’s book for the screen, 'Soul On Fire' brings together a heartfelt team behind the camera to tell a story that transcends tragedy. With authenticity and emotional depth, the film explores how one boy’s miraculous survival became a catalyst for hope and change, not just for him, but for millions inspired by his message.
'Soul On Fire' comes to theaters on Friday, October 10, 2025.
#soulonfiremovie #soulonfire #johnoleary #burnsurvivor #biopic #interview #fanboynation
I spoke with Stephanie Szostak (pronounced Show-Stack), who portrays Susan O’Leary, the mother of John O’Leary, in the powerful new film, 'Soul On Fire'. In 1987, nine-year-old John was playing with matches in his family’s garage when a horrific accident left him with burns nearly 100% of his body. With only a 1% chance of survival, John’s life hung in the balance. Szostak opens up about what it meant to step into the shoes of a mother navigating that kind of unimaginable trauma and strength. She reflects on the incredible courage it took—not just for John to fight for his life—but for Susan to lead her family through that darkness with grit, faith, and fierce maternal love.
'Soul On Fire' is inspired by the true events detailed in John O’Leary’s 2016 bestselling book, 'On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life'. The film, like the memoir, traces John’s extraordinary recovery journey after suffering life-threatening burns as a child. It’s not just a story about survival—it’s about transformation, community, and purpose. While John’s physical healing is at the heart of the narrative, the emotional resilience of his family, especially his mother, is what gives the story its soul.
Szostak spoke candidly about portraying Susan’s strength, her determination to keep her family grounded during chaos and the emotional intensity of reliving such a personal, real-life event. She shared her admiration for the O’Leary family, highlighting how every person around John played a role in keeping him alive, not just the doctors and nurses, but friends, neighbors and strangers who showed up with love and support. She emphasized the deeply human elements of the story: grief, fear, hope and ultimately, the choice to keep moving forward.
Directed by Sean McNamara and written by Gregory Poirier, who adapted O’Leary’s book for the screen, 'Soul On Fire' brings together a heartfelt team behind the camera to tell a story that transcends tragedy. With authenticity and emotional depth, the film explores how one boy’s miraculous survival became a catalyst for hope and change, not just for him, but for millions inspired by his message.
'Soul On Fire' comes to theaters on Friday, October 10, 2025.
#soulonfiremovie #soulonfire #johnoleary #burnsurvivor #biopic #interview #fanboynation
