John O'Leary - Rising Above
www.rising-above.com

John's life is proof of the power of the human spirit. As a nine-year-old he was burned on 100% of his body and given less than one percent chance of surviving the first night. He endured months in the hospital, years in therapy and surgeries, and lost all of his fingers to amputation.

Despite the odds, John overcame these challenges to achieve wonderful successes in life. He is a college graduate, runs his own real estate development company, works as a chaplain at a children's hospital, began a non-profit organization created to spawn volunteer opportunities throughout the community, is active in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters Program and is a professional speaker. John views balance of home and work crucial to any real achievement. He considers his greatest successes to be his marriage to his wife, Beth, the birth of their first child, Jack, and the relationships they enjoy with their family and friends. In the summer of 2004 his parents' published the book Overwhelming Odds detailing all that the family had endured and received as a consequence of John's accident. This incredible book and its positive reception by the community is what revealed to John that the story was exceptional and empowered him to begin professionally speaking throughout the country.

It is this story of tragedy turned triumph that John shares with his audiences. He utilizes experiences from his time in the hospital, as a burn survivor, as a college student, as a business owner, as a chaplain and as a father to convey his message that everyone can overcome any challenge and achieve any success in life.