The Chicago Tribune recently published a touching human interest story about John Francis Minich, a Chicago firefighter who lost his life in 1952 while saving others during a deadly fire. His selfless act of bravery came at a great personal cost—just moments after rescuing several people from a burning apartment building, he collapsed and died.
For nearly 60 years, Minich’s body lay in an unmarked grave at All Saints Catholic Cemetery & Mausoleum in Des Plaines, surrounded by other headstones that bore the names of those who had been remembered. That changed on Saturday, when members of the Chicago Fire Department, along with the firefighters’ union, gathered to unveil a headstone in honor of Minich—a long-overdue recognition for a true hero.
Among those present was a woman whose life was forever changed by Minich’s actions. Her mother had been trapped on the third floor of their apartment building on October 25, 1952, when the fire broke out. At the time, she was eight months pregnant with the woman now known as McCann. Despite firefighters urging her to jump from the window, she refused, fearing harm to her unborn child.
Minich, already having rescued others, went back into the burning building to find her. He covered her mouth and nose with a wet cloth and guided her through the smoke, according to McCann and a Tribune article from the next day. As they made their way to safety, Minich asked her what name she planned to give her baby and even promised to visit once the child was born.
Just moments after leading her to the ambulance, Minich collapsed. A death notice in the newspaper mentioned that he was survived by his wife, Marie, and two brothers. Later, a 29-year-old man was charged with starting the fire after becoming upset with his girlfriend, who lived in the building.
Twelve days after the fire, McCann was born. She grew up hearing the story of how Minich saved her mother’s life, but it wasn’t until last year that she decided to search for his resting place. She reached out to a friend who worked at All Saints Cemetery, John Stewart, who helped her locate Minich’s unmarked grave.
On a cold January day, McCann visited the site and was deeply moved by the lack of recognition. “It really troubled me,†she said. “I looked at this entire row, and I thought, ‘Oh my God, he’s a hero. He saved my life. I’m here because of him. And he doesn’t have a marker.’â€
McCann offered to buy a headstone for Minich, but Stewart encouraged her to wait. He spoke with a neighbor who was a Fire Department captain, and soon the department and the firefighters’ union got involved. Eventually, Mount Emblem Cemetery in Elmhurst donated a black granite headstone. McCann also plans to secure a headstone for Minich’s wife, Marie.
This heartfelt story is a reminder of the quiet heroes who sacrifice everything for others—and the power of one person’s determination to honor their memory.
The complete article can be found HERE.
Thanks, Chris.
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