Burned on 100% of His Body... Now His Life is a Major Motion Picture.

The Matthew West Podcast

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

5 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 8 October 2025

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

At nine years old, John O'Leary was burned on 100% of his body and given no chance to survive. Today, his miraculous story is the inspiration behind the major motion picture "Soul on Fire," releasing in theaters on October 10th.Matthew West sits down with the incredible John O'Leary for a conversation about his journey of overcoming the impossible. John shares how God took his greatest liabilities and turned them into his greatest assets, and how a life that the world saw as broken has become a powerful testament to God's redemptive power. This is a story that proves when the world sees something impossible, God says, "Watch me work."This conversation is a profound reminder that God is with us in our darkest moments and that every storm eventually runs out of rain.🔥 SEE THE MOVIE! "Soul on Fire" is in theaters nationwide on October 10th! Get your tickets now: https://www.soulonfiremovie.com/

Transcript

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0:00.0	As I journeyed, it was so clear that it's just a story of restoration and redemption and how this utterly broken dude and his ugly life is being used by God for good.
0:10.2	Our lost and hurting world needs to witness now more than ever. The world sees something impossible and God says, watch me work.
0:17.2	For the people who are in pain right now, first thing I would say to them is nothing. I would
0:22.1	just cuddle you, man. Yeah. And then if you want to fight, I'll fight with you. I'll wrestle too. I think God can handle that. And if you can start recognizing how God is working through the struggle, he will work in far mightier ways in your life after the struggle's over. My real hope isn't so much that people will be moved by baseball scenes or wedding scenes or John's toughness in hospital.
0:40.8	But when they walk... the trouble's over. My real hope isn't so much that people will be moved by baseball scenes or
0:38.1	wedding scenes or John's toughness in hospital. But when they walk out of that theater or they roll
0:43.2	out of that theater, they can proclaim as they return to the light, what a gift. Now go to work
0:48.1	and share it.
0:56.2	What's up, Matthew West podcast? He really hope you like it. I really hope you like it.
1:15.8	What's up, everybody? Welcome to another episode of the Matthew West. I'm your host, Matthew West, and as always, I really hope you like it. We got a great show for you today. Thanks for listening or watching if you're on the official YouTube page for the Matthew S podcast. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen and that way you'll never miss an episode.
1:19.8	We come to you every Wednesday and Fridays with a special episode of Dad Vice.
1:24.2	Hey, one quick note I want to make sure you are aware of is that don't stop praying for America tour is heading out in November. Go to Matthews.com to get your tickets.
1:29.4	And one other note, the song that I wrote in honor of Charlie Kirk is called Be Close.
1:35.0	And I shared a bit on social media. I wasn't planning on releasing the song.
1:39.4	But October 14th is Charlie Kirk's birthday. And there's just been a lot going on in our world lately,
1:45.9	and it felt like this was a message for right now, inspired by Psalm 3418, and a reminder that
1:51.0	got us close to the brokenhearted saves those who are crushed in spirit. So I'm releasing the
1:55.2	song Be Close on October 14th, so be on the lookout for that, and I hope it brings you some
2:00.7	encouragement during these
2:01.7	difficult times. Speaking of encouragement during difficult times, you guys are going to be
2:06.2	absolutely inspired by today's conversation. I'm getting to speak with the man who has now had a
2:11.9	movie made about his life and the movies in theaters next week. It's called Soul on Fire.
	...

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