William H Macy says John O’Leary’s survival story is not a ‘miracle’

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EXCLUSIVE - Some could name John O'Leary a miracle, however "Soul on Fireplace" actor William H. Macy stated the phrase downplays the younger man's unimaginable survival story.

When O'Leary was 9 years outdated, his complete physique was burned in an unintentional home fireplace that began whereas he was in his storage enjoying with matches and gasoline. He was not presupposed to survive, however after months of grueling restoration — and with the assistance of household, compassionate medical workers and a well-known buddy — he not solely lived, however went on to thrive.

The native movie star who befriended him was the late Jack Buck, the legendary St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster who referred to as video games for 47 years. Buck heard about O'Leary’s story one evening at a cocktail party and determined to go to him within the hospital — a gathering that sparked a life-changing friendship.

Macy portrays Buck within the new movie about O'Leary's story, "Soul on Fireplace," from AFFIRM Movies and director Sean McNamara. He was candid when requested whether or not he believes O’Leary’s survival was a miracle.

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Joel Courtney, William H. Macy, James McCracken, John O'Leary, Stephanie Szostak, Sean McNamara, and John Corbett attend Sony Image's AFFIRM Movies "Soul on Fireplace" premiere on Oct. 2, 2025, in St Louis, Missouri. (Photograph by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Photographs for SOUL ON FIRE Premiere)

"No, I do not want miracles," Macy advised Fox News Digital after some moments of contemplation. "I am threading a needle right here. I discover the world to be miraculous by itself. I do not want any supernatural factor. I discover the world miraculous, the way in which it really works. And I discover human beings to be typically miraculous. I imply ... That child wasn't presupposed to reside. He was burned over 95% of his physique. He should not have survived the evening."

"When Jack Buck heard about this child at that banquet and went there and whispered in his ear, he was in an induced coma. And whispered in his ear together with his acquainted voice that that child knew someplace in his mind, 'You are going to reside. You are going to make it. I believe, I do not consider it as a miracle as a lot as that he instilled him with religion," Macy stated.

"There is a quote, and I believed it was in Ecclesiastes, and I am unable to discover it. However the definition of religion that I actually appreciated is that that which is coming, all of the adversities which might be coming your approach, you have already got what you might want to maneuver them, to get by them. You have already got it. It is in you," he added.

Macy urged the phrase "miracle" is used considerably "cheaply" today as a result of it downplays the efforts of O'Leary's caretakers. In a single specific scene in "Soul on Fireplace," one of many hospital staff is credited with saving O'Leary's life by preserving his hospital room clear and stopping the danger of infections to O'Leary's susceptible pores and skin.

"And... So I believe what the film says is absolutely wondrous, if I'll," Macy stated. "That this child had the desire to outlive this factor. I believe it was a genius stroke that they included, and it is a true story, that the hero of this factor was the man, the orderly, who stored the room clear, who stored it spotless. As a result of, as they are saying within the film, 'That is what'll kill ya.' Whenever you're burned over 90% of your physique, you might be only a horrible life-ending an infection ready to occur. So he is the hero and I, I do not need to use that phrase — a miracle — as a result of I believe we use it somewhat cheaply today."

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William H. Macy and John O'Leary attend Sony Footage' AFFIRM Movies "Soul on Fireplace" premiere on Oct. 2, 2025, in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photograph by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Photographs for SOUL ON FIRE Premiere)

O'Leary now provides motivational speeches throughout the nation, hoping to uplift and encourage together with his unbelievable story. Macy referred to as him probably the most "extraordinary" individuals he is ever met.

"Nicely he is definitely, if not essentially the most extraordinary man I've ever met, he is one among them," Macy stated. "What you see is what you get. He's real. He got here out of that entire expertise with this lust for all times, and he loves life, and he loves his life. And he enjoys each single day … The man appears to be having a good time all the time, and he lives with such gratitude. And he is all the time discovering the great factor in his day, and he is as beneficiant with everyone as I've ever seen."

"I imply, what summed it up for me was we had been speaking in regards to the publicity," the actor continued. "'How are we gonna promote this factor?' And John very early spoke up, and he stated, 'Whoa, whoa, this film's not about me. This film is in regards to the group that stepped up and, with the buildup of their will and their love and their experience, they made this child pull by that. And that is what the film is all about.'"

Macy additionally recalled assembly Joe Buck, who adopted his father into sports activities broadcasting. Joe advised Macy that whereas Jack Buck was usually distant at dwelling, he quietly helped numerous individuals behind the scenes.

"He advised me, the lengthy and the in need of it, was that his father was not heat and fuzzy in the home," Macy stated. "He was a little bit of a distant father. And he knew that he was beloved by his father and he knew his father was actually pleased with him. However he labored so much. He was out of the home so much, he was absent so much and when he was there, there was ... I did not ask him if he hugged, if he bought hugged as a child, however I kind of stuffed in that clean myself — that he wasn't demonstrative. And since this film went into manufacturing, persons are popping out of the woodwork to inform Jack Buck tales."

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Macy performs the late Jack Buck, who was a commentator for the St. Louis Cardinals for 47 years. (Ali Overstreet/MLB Images by way of Getty Photographs)

"And he used his bully pulpit," Macy continued. "He used his sources to very quietly present up at quite a lot of completely different locations and anonymously assist individuals out. The tales are legion. And I discover that endlessly fascinating. And I had that in my thoughts after I was placing this entire factor collectively, that it was simpler for Jack to indicate like to nearly whole strangers than it was to his good associates. And I've recognized individuals like that. And maybe there is a good little bit of that in me."

Requested why audiences appear to be flocking to faith-based movies today, Macy stated it is as a result of it is what the individuals need, earlier than reflecting on how Hollywood tradition has modified over time.

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"I believe the faith-based motion pictures inform the tales that they need to hear," he stated. "You understand, there's been an entire shift in Hollywood, and I am very pleased with being a part of the Hollywood scene, of being an actor and being in showbiz. It was about 10 or 15 years in the past that Hollywood awakened at some point and stated, 'Our motion pictures do not appear to be America and the individuals who make the films do not appear to be America. And if we wish this trade to proceed to develop, we bought to repair that, and so they did. It occurred laser quick. I've by no means seen an trade change so rapidly."