MUSC News

Healthcare professionals are no strangers to John O’Leary, MUSC’s 2026 Commencement speaker.

A team of surgeons, specialists, nurses and physical therapists saved O’Leary’s life when, in 1987 at age 9, he suffered burns on 100% of his body after he set off an explosion while playing with matches and gasoline. Doctors gave him less than a 1% chance of survival. His mother, however, put the question to O’Leary. She asked him if he wanted to die.

His reply? “No.” He wanted to live, and with those words he began a remarkable journey of resilience, courage and purpose. He didn’t want tragedy to define him. Instead, he strove for normalcy.

“That was the start of the rest of life,” O’Leary shared on his website. “I spent five months in the hospital, endured dozens of surgeries and underwent years of physical therapy. I survived. And when life finally settled back to normal, all I wanted was for it to stay that way.”