At this point, we realized that something dreadful was happening, but we did not know what to do -- where to go. I recall thinking that I had just been in church the other day, I had received communion, and I was ready to meet God.

Then we saw the flames licking over the tops of the doors and towards the ceiling -- then flames under the doors -- and the dense black choking smoke. Sister yelled to get to the windows.

We were on the top floor. There were, I think, windows along the outside wall of our room. I remember seeing my friend Irene trying to climb onto the radiator to reach the window, but the radiator was so hot that it began to burn through her tights. Her legs were in flames. She could not step back into the room, so she flung herself out the window. (She did ultimately survive, but not without serious injuries).

Other kids and I struggled to get to the windows. I felt almost crushed by the weight of some other kids piled up on top of me. But, as the flames and heat increased, most of them ran to the back windows. I thought I was going to die; but, like I said, I felt ready. That's when Sister Mary St. Canice came up behind me and told me to sit on the window ledge. She helped me struggle out onto the ledge, and as I finally got my legs outside, she gave me a solid push and out into the air I flew. I landed on an overhang covering over the stairs which led into the basement of the building before I bounced on the ground. I could not breath, but I was miraculously alive. Some men, perhaps people from the neighborhood, picked me up and carried me into the candy store which was next door to the school. You see, at this point, the firemen had not yet arrived. I don't remember much after that, just that I lay on the floor until finally being removed by ambulance to the hospital. But, I do vividly remember that as I was being taken away, snow began to fall ... as if God's and the angels' icy tears were being shed.

However fortunate, I was not seriously injured and received only minor burns. My hair had burned away a few inches and I received serious contusions. But, no bones were broken. The only thing that broke was my heart. I learned later that Sister never made it, along with twelve of my classmates. My very good friend Christine Vitacco never made it. But, I always knew she would earn her angel wings. If not for Sister Mary St. Canice, I would not have survived that fire. I pray to her sometimes -- I know she is in heaven as are all the other little angels that were made that day.

* * *

For some odd reason, the memory of that day has been haunting me this past week and I searched web sites until I found this one today. I feel I need to tell my story. I need to cry with other survivors. I need to share these feelings which have been stuffed for so many years.

If there are survivors out there who would like to connect, my website at home is wints1911@aol.com.

To Mike Guzaldo, please write me. I understand.

NORTH AVENUE AND LAWLER IN CHICAGO. I WAS IN THE SECOND GRADE THE DAY OF THE FIRE,AND I REMEMBER THE SOUND AS IF IT WERE YESTERDAY OF ALL THE

FIRE ENGINES AND AMBULANCES. IT WAS VERY SCAREY TO ME. SOON AFTER THAT

DAY SOME OF THE SURVIVORS STUDENTS CAME TO OUR SCHOOL FOR THE REMAINDER

OF THE YEAR.

WHEN WE LEARNED OF THE FIRE ON T.V. THAT DAY AFTER SCHOOL, MY FIRST THOUGHTS WERE ABOUT THOSE BOYS.

I HAVE SINCE READ MANY STORIES OF THE FIRE. IT WOULD SEEM THAT FEW OF MY CLASSMATES WERE KILLED, BASED ON THE AGES OF THOSE LOST IN THE FIRE.

I RECENTLY FOUND A CLASS PICTURE TAKEN IN ROOM 212, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE YEARS HAVE ERASED THE NAMES FROM THOSE FACES I RECOGNIZE. I HOPE THEY ARE ALL WELL.

I also lost my 1st Cousin, Frank Piscopo, I remember both of these people very well and I guess our family never really got over the loss of our loved ones.

The day of the fire in etched in my memory, I recall the blind walk down the stairs from room 201. I sat in the last seat nearest the back door adjacent to the window and radiator. It was my job to lead part of the class out the door through the cloak room down the stairs and out. We had fire drills to practice that. The smoke was very thick and sooty, our faces were black from it. We were to go outside across the street and line up by class room in front of the convent. I remember looking at the licks of fire coming out the windows and wondering if anyone would die in this and how long we would be off school. I had find Frank and Gerald Guzaldo who lived upstairs from us on Homan Ave. Michael Piscopo (Franks younger brother) and Frances. I rounded up all of my cousins I could find (all but the ones that died) and ran to Connie's a little restaurant on Chicago and Hamlin a block away, I knew they had a phone there. I called my mother, I still remember the phone number SA2-5698, to tell her what was happening and who I had found. She showed up soon after with my aunts.

We went home to watch TV and listen to the radio for any news. My Father his Brother Cos and Brother-in-law Frank were searching the temp morgues to look for our missing family members. They finally found them.

Boy what a day.

We children were mostly kept in the dark about what the adults were doing, although we lost friends and family nothing much was ever discussed with us - to this day the fire is never discussed among the family.

The attempted schooling to finish the year on WTTW Channel 11 then various public schools we were bused to turned out to be a mess.

Today if a kid stubs their tow they bring in an army counselers we had the nuns who told us "GOD TOOK ONLY THE GOOD ONES" nice huh guess that was their idea of therapy. So we weren't good eneough to be "TAKEN" by GOD well guess this is one reason I have no religion today and haven't since that day in December 1958.

I think this story needs to be told on the big screen. I think the corruption of the Church and the Daily administration needs to be shown for what it was. I would like to know why all the money the church collected went to the Nuns convent and elaborate church decorations, and we had to be schooled in a fire trap that failed fire inspedtion after fire inspection. I want the story told about how the survivors were treated and the few dollars that were given to sibilings of the dead children. How the mayor an Irish Catholic stifeled any attempt to sue the Church.

As far as I am concerned the Catholic Church killed al those children by way of criminal neglence and greed.

My name is Mike Guzaldo and can be reached by email - guzaldo@yahoo.com

We have five children and 6 grandchilren and there are no inside locks on our doors, no doors that I cannot get through and nothing on this earth that prevents me from getting to my children if I need to.

The fact that I could not get to my friends and help them has made my life one of helping and sharing whatever I can with my family and friends because you never know when they will not be ...... there.

When John David's casket was lowered into the ground, a very special part of my life ended and the nightmares began ... and still come back.

I wish I had not learned of this site .....

Over the years I have thought about that poster quite often, and wished I knew more about the circumstances behind it. Then I discovered the excellent book "To Sleep With the Angels" by Cowan and Kuenster, and at last I knew the story. When I found there were no web sites devoted strictly to the OLA fire, I decided to build this one.