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CHICAGO -- Firefighter John Francis Minich died after saving many lives from a burning building 60 years ago, but until Saturday there was nothing to mark his grave site.
“One of the lives saved that day [was] my mother, pregnant with me,” said Debbie McCann, who discovered Minich’s unmarked grave and brought it to the attention of officials.
The Chicago Fire Department along with the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2 joined with McCann Saturday afternoon to honor the anniversary of Minich’s death with a permanent grave marker.
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His name is etched in granite at the Stockyard memorial and his badge is mounted on the Wall of Honor at the Quinn Fire Academy in memory of his heroic actions. However, there was nothing to honor the hero in the All Saints Cemetery, where his body was laid to rest.
“This was something that had to be made right,” said Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2 President Tom Ryan. “He gave his life and made the ultimate sacrifice for the people he served, and that needed to be recognized.”
McCann’s mother was one of 12 people Minich rescued during an arson fire on Oct. 25, 1952. After carrying the pregnant mother to safety, he took off his crucifix and put it in her hand, said McCann, who considered him her guardian angel.
Shortly after the rescue he collapsed and was taken to the hospital, where he died. Doctors described the cause of death as a heart attack and smoke inhalation. Minich was 43 years old.
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McCann began searching for her guardian angel and tracked down his grave site at All Saints Cemetery in Des Plaines, only to discover there was no marker in place for this hero. She then worked with the cemetery’s field manager John Stewart to correct the oversight.
“She went to great lengths to contact our office,” said Ryan. “She originally planned to pay for the headstone on her own.”
Ryan said he told her it was not necessary and motions were put in place for the permanent marker that now marks the place of a Chicago hero and guardian angel.
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Leave a Comment:
Shameful that he was without so much as a marker.. Excellent that it was her that rectified that issue...
All those horn-blowing, flag-waving, honor-and-brotherhood firefighters couldn't chip in for sixty years and buy a stone for 'one of their own' - cheap bastards.
Gees.... what a stupid comment.
-some faith in humanity has been restored-
this is the 1st section i read every day to start off w/happy thoughts
Wonderful article! Debbie McCann did a very kind, sweet and thoughtful thing by making sure his grave received a proper marker and all the others that helped her make it happen. So nice to see a article about someones good acts. I hope Mr. Minich's family and others who's lives he saved or touched come out to see the his new marker and remember him.
Finally a nice story! What a lovely gesture, see there are good people in the world, I would love to see more uplifting stories like this. Too bad more people haven't commented. Anyway, we have each other!
What a great story. There are still good people in this world.
What a feel good story, need more of these on here.
Sometimes I think there are real humans out there.........and it is nice to hear a story about one......Thank you!
A very good deed to do. I am sure that she feels so good about her efforts. I would......
How sad that it took 60 years, but how wonderful that it was finally accomplished by someone he saved.
If it wasn't for stories like this...I would spend a small fortune in eye moisturizing drops.
Yes !
Thank you Ms. McCann for your efforts. Just when I think the whole of mankind has given up on caring about anyone other than themselves someone like yourself comes along and restores my faith in humanity. No greater love hath a man then that he would give up his life for his brother which is what that fireman did that night. You are truly a woman among women for seeing to it that his sacrifice was not in vain. I was a policeman for over 20 years and have seen the best and the worst mankind has to offer and I have to say that you fall into the best category. Thank you again and may God bless you every endeavor.
Wonderful story!
How sad is that in the fact that this man saved COUNTLESS lives and NOBODY even gave a sh!t about him for SIXTY years!!!! FINALLY, someone acknowledged what he did but UNFORTUNATELY I guarantee SEVERAL people would not be around here today if they hadn't been rescued a long time ago. And not even the CITY remembered him and his sacrifice. SHAME!!!! I kinda wonder if it even make the headline news back then.....
His name is etched in granite at the Stockyard memorial and his badge is mounted on the Wall of Honor at the Quinn Fire Academy in memory of his heroic actions. However, there was nothing to honor the hero in the All Saints Cemetery, where his body was laid to rest.
Maybe had no family?
This story made me think about my father who passed away three years ago. also a career firefighter. Thanks for sharing the story.
A true fire fighting hero at age 43. RIP John Francis Minich.
I am happy she righted this sad over-site.
There are truly decent people around, if we take the time to find them.
We need to appreciate the media when they print uplifting stories such as this one. There are more of these than make the news because the other type sells.
It's nice to be reminded that there are heroes and guardian angels around us daily. Sad that many are never recognized.
It is very nice to read of "Good Happenings" in the news............
beautiful !!
Yes, she was in the womb at the time, but it took her 60 years? I am a little older than her and every dayI think of Marines I served with and soldiers I knew that never knew life for much more than 19 years. It was a nice thing she did, but all these adult years?
I would presume she only recently became aware that his grave was unmarked and addressed it as soon as she could. She obviously did think of him and the lifesaving acts he was responsible for her entire life.
a true hero, our loss is heaven's gain, to all first responders god bless you , you are our hero's everyday
Bravo Ms. McCann! And thank you Chicago's Firefighter's Union Local 2, it's nice to know you honored your brother in such a fitting way, to bestow the honor he so deserved.
...lest we forget.
Nice to see a positive story for once
I really am choked up reading this. It's so nice and sad at the same time. Did he have a family? I hope it's a tombstone and not just a flat concrete on the ground.
I'm sure that it's an appropriate stone, unbelievable. After all, it's not the "stone" that makes the man, but rather....it's the memories of his past deeds....
yes but the story is about him getting an appropriate stone.
Wow! 60 years and no marker? Hey, a great story and good for her to setting it right.
How did he get missed? If I was the head of that fire department, I would be humiliated and would see that nobody else was missed and never to happen again.
Even the lowest of the low deserve to be remembered in death. No only this hero, but the countless others in all of our communities who die alone. Those of you who criticize should spend some time visiting the elderly and those who live in nursing homes. You would learn something.