Our Lady of the Angels school fire

[Miho]

The granddaughter was the child of the older son of the late Philip, and a former girlfriend--- apparently they split up soon afterward and their daughter was raised by her mother's side of the family. However, I gather that the mother and daughter were still friendly with the much younger son, who died in 2010, just prior to his 25th birthday (no cause given that I could find. The big difference in the brothers' ages indicates they were from different marriages.) At any rate, they both left nice comments on his obituary page.

The daughter, by all accounts a VERY nice child, was also overweight. At age 11, she was developing an interest in physical fitness and exercise, which, ironically, led to her death in a freak landslide, while hiking with some friends. The area where the incident (November 2012) occurred had been subject to a lot of rain, which loosened things up, and unfortunately, the poor girl was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her mother never married and had no other children. The accident was big news in their part of California at the time.

In memory of his daughter (apparently also HIS only child), her father got a tattoo with her name, which he proudly displayed on his Facebook page, along with his, umm, other interests. Aw, shucks.

I do feel bad about the younger son and the grand-daughter. The younger son was just a teen when his father passed, and his niece just a toddler, so she may never even have seen this grandfather. Who knows what happened to the younger son? Maybe drugs/ drinking, maybe an accident, maybe one of those weird untimely things like a brain hemorrhage? His niece and her mom (who seems a decent sort mostly, with a real job, and quite forlorn obviously, judging from her FB) liked him, so he couldn't have been all bad.
.
Old Philip did not live long enough to know any possible pain from their losses.

Do you have any links to articles about her death?

[pkstracy]

here you go Miho
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/inland_empire&id=8343434

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lano...3-others-.html

Philip's son Jason http://www.tributes.com/show/Jason-P...resti-88942778

[Noelle1966]

How did you find out so much, Linnie? Big brother has a facebook page?

[ChicagoBorn]

How did you find out so much, Linnie? Big brother has a facebook page?

Yeah, Nick Presti, he appears to have somewhat limited interests (snicker).

[Linnie]

Once I zeroed in on the name "Philip Presti" (thanks, SSDI), I googled it, which led to the SON'S obituary page, which had the full names of his brother, his niece, and her Mom, which led me to articles about the accident and Facebook pages of the surviving family members. It kind of "burns" ME up to think, if young Taylor had at least grown up to be a decent ordinary law-abiding citizen, it would have been some redemption for Our Suspect's family line. No such luck, apparently, God or Fate had other plans, or just crummy circumstance. Maybe the YOUNGER kids, this girl and her now deceased young uncle, were the ones all the OLA survivors were trying to protect, rather than Bad Old Phil and maybe his airhead older son.

P.S. And I did it ALL for free... No Ancestry.com memberships, no archived article fees... I had the right search terms at the right time.

[Noelle1966]

I saw the facebook page. Older son has a tatoo of his daughter's name. Someone asked him why he didn't get it when she was alive.

[Musky58]

Never been one to post, but since the name has now been posted (have known this info for some time but nevertheless thank you-pkstracy) Iâ??m looking for clarification regarding identifying PD/PP in Ms Tristanoâ??s 3^rd grade, Room 110, 1956. I believe the name was listed at one point but was removed. Any idea on seat location? I do respect the wishes of those involved but am sure the name haunts them to this day since justice was never served. How one could send their kid back to the same school where he appears in 7^th grade-room 309, 1960, L-R (3^rd row (not including standing) 5^th seat, is beyond me. It is hard to put into words even though I can think of many. And thanks alanwench for initiating this thread.

[pkstracy]

You're welcome Musky. I knew his name a year ago but kept it to myself after doing some digging using the birthdate which was wrong, Then went from there.

[Dr. Fishhead]

What the hell? I was going to point out where that little bastard was in the classroom (setting right behind Annette LaMantia...one of his victims) and I found out that the OLA fire site is gone.

WTF? Is it down for everyone? Permanently?

[Noelle1966]

It's still there. Please check again.

[Dr. Fishhead]

I just checked. It's working for me now. The other night it was giving me error 500 messages and it was yesterday as well. I'll go photoshop that picture later (I'm just going to point to where he's sitting) I'm pretty busy right now.

[Musky58]

I just checked. It's working for me now. The other night it was giving me error 500 messages and it was yesterday as well. I'll go photoshop that picture later (I'm just going to point to where he's sitting) I'm pretty busy right now.

I believe in front of Annette

[muscababy]

I want to thank everyone here for not forgettig this tragic event. It's one of those "defining moments" in history, nuch like The Station was. Unless someone has been involved in something as surreal as a disaster, you can't know....Wow. The pain suffered is heartbreaking for all involved. I can't remember where I seen it, but there was a picture of a fireman having to be helped out the front doors of OLA by two other fireman; the carnage was too much for the poor man to handle. I don't think I could've handled it either. There's not much else that can be said, other than it's a wound that can't heal. The emotional rip is that severe....

Having gone IN to a burning building myself, I don't recommend it! I'm not a firefighter, either. The smoke and heat are unbelievable. I was scared to death, and hate fire. I could'nt sleep for three days afterwards, until I finally collapsed from being exhausted. My dad was trying to go inside, fire extinguisher in hand, and I thought to myself, "I'd NEVER go in there, but I'll be damned if I let Dad go in alone!" It's funny what you can think when you're finally up against "It". I can totally understand why some of the survivors thought what they did at the time.

Since that day, I have been through a 100 year flood, discovered a sinkhole by my foot going through the topsoil, and taken pictures looking up into a funnel cloud. Those are just the highlights. I was just in the wrong places at the right time, and have come to respect the fact that sometimes, you can NEVER be prepared. Preparations are what the rescuers have and train for....When it happens to you, no matter your training and knowledge, you are a victim. And your survival will sometimes depend on what you are capable of doing....And sometimes, you are in a position to do nothing. That's the way it is. Circumstances and how many seconds you have figure out what you're goin....

Just like that.

I'm glad I have the boy/man's name now. I'm going to annotate the back of my copy of TSWTA with his name, so whoever has my book in the future will know. Funny, I got my dusty book out, and found folded inside the front cover an email I had gotten YEARS ago from Charlene Janik. It brought all the emotions back to the forfront, and my desire to post my little missive here.

Thank you, Detectives. There's thins that just HAVE to be ferreted out.

[pkstracy]

Welcome to the forum musca. Yeah I do not know what it was covered up, in this day and age the boys name, picture and everything else would be made public.

[muscababy]

Thank you for the welcome, pkstracey. Yes, you're right. I'm suprised his picture was at the OLA site. Looking back over all the information from that time, it was like everyone wanted it to go away, be forgotten. The Church, the City, even the Mob? I think it's unforgivable that the survivors got treated the way they were; but maybe it was because of so many of the dads and other men having served in World War Two, and they had to "suck it up". In the fire that I mentioned above that I was in, it was kids playing with matches that started it. Dad was in the Army in WW2, and seen combat, so this was probably a sight he was no stranger to, but had the best intentions of trying to put out. Lots of difference between an M-1 rifle and German soldiers, and a fire extinguisher and a burning split level! We seen the fire from start to finsh that Saturday night, and my little brother (Died 17 years ago tonight, wow....) complained when we got back afterwards that we missed a favorite TV show...."Darn, we missed 'Emergency'!"

[Linnie]

Welcome to the forum musca. Yeah I do not know what it was covered up, in this day and age the boys name, picture and everything else would be made public.

There are still policies against naming minors accused of crimes in the mainstream media (TV, newspapers and related news websites) unless (and until) the alleged perpetrator is charged as an adult. But even if that does not happen (depends on the crime), these days, the name WOULD come out in the (not-so) social media. Bless the internets, even though THIS (probable) miscreant's ID did not come out for decades, and years after Mr. Presti/Decker's death.

[pkstracy]

Sorry for the loss of your brother musca and again welcome, as I stated yes his name would have been released to the public and not kept quiet. Hope Ripey, Laurie Thacket, Toni, Melinda, Shelia Eddy, to name a few.

[Alanwench]

You're welcome, Musky58. My old computer died and I am using my Kindle Fire until my new computer arrives.

[rccus]

Permit me to introduce myself. I was a 13 year old high school freshman at the time of the fire, in a Chicago high school. We all followed with horror the unfolding of this inhumane tragedy. We need to (notice that is present tense) question our ability to protect children from any events like this, regardless of the magnitude. This should continue to be a lesson to future generations.


I was a Boy Scout at the time, later a scout leader. In 1962 or early 1963, I was called by Dick Scheidt, who explained he was a Chicago firefighter who was a Boy Scout Explorer Advisor at an Explorer Post at St. Margaret of Scotland in Chicago. As a firefighter, he could not take the post camping for a two night camp out. If he was off Friday and Saturday evenings, he had to be in the firehouse very early on Sunday AM. He asked if we could both be Advisors to the Post and take combined, but sometimes alternating responsibility for weekend camp outs. I agreed, and found Dick real easy to work with and an excellent source of knowledge for the Scouts, and a great role model. He never mentioned the fire, and I had not connected him to Our Lady of the Angels in any way.


In November of 1963, Dick approached me and mentioned that his name was likely to appear in the Chicago papers within a week, and to promise to never ask him about it, and quietly tell all the Explorers in the Post that they were never to mention it in his presence. I wondered about the publicity he was about to receive, but did not worry at all. Dick was someone I had 100% confidence in.


On the five year anniversary of the fire, all the Chicago papers ran stories, and most had the infamous picture of Dick carrying out John Jajkowski, Jr from the school. I, and all the scouts, suddenly understood why he never wanted to talk about it. I honored his request, and never, once, mentioned it in his presence. Dick and I kept in touch with scout events for a few years, then traded Christmas cards and occasional meetings until he passed in 2009. I was notified by the family, and told to plan to come to the wake early. When I arrived, hours before the start of the wake, the line was already a block long to get into the chapel in Oak Lawn.


His family reiterated that he steadfastly refused to discuss the event, with the only exception being the one interview he did for the book, TSWTA. I was told that he never recovered from the event, and telling the story once deepened his sorrows. Dick wasn't just a hero, not just someone who did a heroic act or two. Dick's everyday life was a succession of events, each helping someone else. In my eyes, he is more than a hero, he is the Ultimate Hero.


I have read all the books on the fire, and repeatedly read the blogs. I'm personally glad the name is out there. I cannot fathom how you live your life after committing such acts, but it sounds like, after the John Reid report, the boy had an extremely troubled past and present. Standards for treatment of mental illness were much different in 1962, and many questioned Judge Cilella's wisdom, most very openly.


We now have 55 years of hindsight, and my opinion, if I might give one, is that Cilella's decision was just as hard on him as Dick's fire participation was on Dick. While I don't feel Cilella made a perfect decision, he did send the boy in a direction that seems to have worked out reasonably. For the boy to have avoided more mass murders, and be gainfully employed for much of his life is truly an astounding turn-around, and one few would have predicted. I cannot understand the internal psychiatric pressures that someone carries when they have killed so many in multiple offenses. I can only assume the arsonist carried a horrendous burden all his life. Much of the blog is correct, there should be no translation of their anger toward his family, that doesn't help anyone.


I know that 55 years have gone by, and the final chapter has yet to be written on this horrible catastrophe, but I would encourage anyone connected to discuss this with a competent counselor if they are troubled by this story. Please don't feel that you should be over this by now, no one involved ever gets over things of this magnitude.


Thanks for allowing me to vent, to praise my colleague Dick Scheidt, and express my thoughts that Cilella made a reasonable choice, at some significant person hardship.

[Upset]

What a wonderful tribute to Mr. Scheidt! Welcome to the forum, rccus. Thank you for sharing your story.

[LLC]

Welcome, RCCUS! Wow....Thank you for sharing that. May I add that you are a fabulous writer?

[Crimsonams]

I haven't gotten to read this thread yet (and I'm not about to start now with the late hour ), but I was browsing through YT the other night and ran across this vid. It made me think of some of the posters I know on the forum who have mentioned the fire before, so I thought I'd post it. If it's a repost, I apologize:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLhO25vBT5c

[ChicagoBorn]

I don't know if anyone is close enough to go but David Cowan, one of the co-authors of "To Sleep With The Angels", will be at an authors' night presentation at the Blue Island (IL) public library on Apr. 15 from 7 to 8 pm. This is causing quite a stir over on the olafire site where they have started posting recipes in protest of the discussion. Mr. Cowan was convicted of arson after he wrote the book.

[Linnie]

With all due respect, I have to disagree that Philip carried any burden of remorse, and that his "rehabilitation" was completely successful. Was he not considered a suspect in subsequent arson fires? Plus he was in Vietnam, where PLENTY of hut-burning took place, mostly without recrimination, unless it was a huge event like My Lai, and even then, THAT might never have been revealed. Earlier in the thread, it was said that, when confronted with his deeds, Philip claimed to have made his peace or some such blather, and it was long over for him. Does NOT sound like true remorse to me!
Plus, there is the evidence of his attitude in his oldest (surviving) son, who did not think the worse of the old man when told of his (probable) role in the fire, and has hardly appeared to be a shining example of a wonderful citizen OR a caring, involved father. Lord even knows what the younger son died from at such an early age, or what happened to the sons' mother/mothers. The grand-daughter, apparently the only descendant of the family, died prematurely and terribly, in spite of having, by many accounts, to have been the best of them all. It is small comfort to realize that she probably never knew what her grandfather (deceased when she was just a tot) had done to other children her own age (when he WAS that age), and now, never will.
Just being able to hold some job and avoiding further (known) trouble after hitting one's thirties does not, to me, constitute a great success of redemption. That young wretch should have been held accountable and also anyone who had a hand in concealing his horrible crime.
Unrealistic and futile, of course (this being a world where way too many scumbags get away with hurting and killing the innocent.)

[Alanwench]

http://youtu.be/4mdV6C-qD2g
This link is a lecture/question and answer session and is in several parts,but it's worth watching. TSWTA author John Kuenster talks quite a bit about the arsonist. Kuenster makes it very plain that he feels that Philip set the fire. When he interviewed Philip, he remarked that the fire was a matter between "me and my confessor." Kuenster knew the priest and had his suspicion confirmed. Also mentioned is the fact that Geri Andreoli's wife Irene has had eight hip replacements due to injuries sustained in the fire.

[findadeathaddict]

http://youtu.be/4mdV6C-qD2g
This link is a lecture/question and answer session and is in several parts,but it's worth watching. TSWTA author John Kuenster talks quite a bit about the arsonist. Kuenster makes it very plain that he feels that Philip set the fire. When he interviewed Philip, he remarked that the fire was a matter between "me and my confessor." Kuenster knew the priest and had his suspicion confirmed. Also mentioned is the fact that Geri Andreoli's wife Irene has had eight hip replacements due to injuries sustained in the fire.

Thanks! Saved for later.

[Alanwench]

My friend Dolores Labuda died on August 18, 2014. She was 83 and somehow maintained a strong religious faith and a positive outlook, despite losing her beloved sister Carol Ann Gazzola. In a much earlier posting, I copied verbatim her memories of December 1 1958. I hope she is enjoying a happy reunion with her sister.

[Noelle1966]

Alanwench, thank you for letting us know. I have been think of Big Sis Dee. I knew that she was not doing well, but kept her humor.

[ChicagoBorn]

Big Sis Dee was a voice of sanity on the other board. I will miss her.

[Timeo Vitae]

I'm sorry to read about Big Sis Dee's passing. Thank you Alanwench for letting us know and for your last sentence which was beautifully put.

[Dr. Fishhead]

Just read about Dee's passing. So sad.

My heart goes out to everyone who she touched. Seemed like such a nice woman. I really hope she's with her sister now. I believe she is.

And, hi everybody. Long time. No post.

[DeeG]

Anyone checked out the OLA fire in Wikipedia? There has been new edits including the naming of the suspect, both the name at the time of the fire (Decker) and Presti, the name Philip used later in his life. And it has caused a minor stir up on OLA fire, even so much as one poster asking wiki to remove the names as many of the people involved have resisted naming names. I guess they think their sensibilities should matter on the web.

[pkstracy]

They shouldn't hide his name. I mean he is dead now, what could happen? It shouldn't have been hidden in the first place.

[Linnie]

I noticed Nick P's removed his Facebook page, a couple of months already. Maybe people were starting to attack him there.

[chgobonbon]

I noticed Nick P's removed his Facebook page, a couple of months already. Maybe people were starting to attack him there.

I noticed that as well. Not much activity anyway, I watched his You Tube where he somehow found Money to get tattoo's .His life is Growing pot, and smoking it instead of getting a job .

[luckyinlove]

The info i collected last year when i was in hot pursuit of finding out everything i could...

Philip A Presti 10-4-48 to 9/2004

Born Cincinnati, OH, died Hacienda Heights, CA


Served in Vietnam war


Sons: Jason Philip Presti 4-25-85 to 4-14-10
Nicholas Owen Presti (older)


Grand-daughter: Taylor V. (deceased)

Philip bought 1263 Farmstead Ave Hacienda Heights, CA for 119k in 2000. His son Jason sold the house in 2005 (as P had died in 2004).

[pkstracy]

points to posts up a few, info was released already

[pkstracy]

I know I am late in posting here, but Dec first I did not forget all those that passed away, I lit a candle.

[charlotte9909]

What the hell? I was going to point out where that little bastard was in the classroom (setting right behind Annette LaMantia...one of his victims) and I found out that the OLA fire site is gone.

WTF? Is it down for everyone? Permanently?

actually he is in FRONT of Annette. The boy in back is named Lubke.

[charlotte9909]

I've been thinking a lot about it too. I was in the 1st grade when it happened, in another city, but in a school that look like a smaller version of OLA. Even had a cement courtyard and a candy store on the corner. I was too young to fully understand at the time, but it was connected with some sort of notion of terrorism. Can't remember the exact words, but probably really meant "arson." There was some sort of stigma attached to Catholic schools too, and the emphasis on praying in the face of disaster. But everytime we'd hear an ambulanece go by, we'd cross ourselves and say a prayer.

[jaclynfett]

Just finished Michelle McBride's book and I'm starting TSWTA next. Michelle's story will stay with me forever.

[CatholicGirl]

This is an interesting thread, and thank you to all the participants for their detective work. When I saw that the suspect's address was not obliterated from the OLA site confession page, I knew it would be possible to figure out.

One thing I did notice on the OLA page, which no one on this thread mentioned, is that a victim, Nancy Pilas, had aunt and uncle listed as "Paul and Mary Lo (Lou?) Presti". Which adds another layer to perhaps how and why this was covered up. The stepfather (Presti) was no doubt involved with the mother at the time of the OLA fire as they were married soon after in 1959 (when the boy's last name was changed).

A few years later, the kid had already started a few fires and the mother and stepfather themselves brought the kid in for questioning and lie detector rest with John Reid. (A fact generally not acknowleged - they themselves seemed alternately disbelieving and scared of the kid.) I'm thinking that once they figured out he was a firebug, they put two and two together (along with the kid's confession) and realized that he not only started the OLA fire but killed his cousin (or at least 'cousin' by his stepfather).

I wonder if Nancy Pilas's family did not want to pursue it, or have her death linked to the arsonist, or if that is part of the initial and long term coverup of PP's name.

My other thought is that looking up the Catholic cemetery where many of the victims were buried is also famous for being the final resting place of many Chicago mobsters. The place the Presti's lived in at the time of a subsequent fire was also owned by a known gangster. Lots of mobsters in Chicago were Catholic, and I have no doubt there was pressure brought on the judge (also Catholic) not to pursue it, for whatever reason that would benefit the Chicago Syndicate - I have no idea!

Just a few thoughts. This story is so compelling to me as a native Chicagoan and a Catholic

[CatholicGirl]

I also see that Nancy Pilas's father was a Captain in the Fire Dept, as well as part of the Fire Prevention Bureau. So terribly ironic, and such a tragedy he lost his daughter. (A cousin survived the fire) From the OLA site:

Pilas, Anthony R.

Fireman

Pilas was superintendent of field inspectors for the Chicago Fire Prevention Bureau. A native Chicagoan who attended public schools and graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Pilas began working for the Fire Department in 1937. In 1944, he was promoted to lieutenant, the youngest of that rank in the department at the time. When he became a captain in 1958, he joined the Fire Prevention Bureau, the department's code enforcement arm. Pilas became a Battalion Chief 1967, and in 1970 he became a Division Marshal. He also was first deputy of the bureau. He retired at the mandatory age of 63 and became a department deputy director in a civilian capacity until 1980. Pilas also was a precinct captain in the 31st Ward regular Democratic organization, with which he was affiliated for 30 years. Pilas' only daughter, Nancy, died at age 12 in the OLA fire. Tony passed away on December 18, 1987. Father of Nancy Pilas, uncle of Carol Pilas.

The family's (possible) relationship to the Presti family, as well as their ties to the fire department, may well have played a role in how the case of the young suspect was handled. Just a theory.

[chgobonbon]

I know John Presti, the step father divorced Philips mom, Alice, got remarried and bought a $700,000 condo on lake shore drive in chicago. That was a long time ago and a lot of money. He died and his widow still owned the property that was in a trust. Could be sold by now, haven't dug lately. My question is, was John a wealthy man when he knocked up Alice, or became wealthy when he dumped her and married into wealth? Or did he become wealthy by his "association" with Italian members of the , wink wink, community.

[Noelle1966]

I was curious if Alice's new baby was a boy or a girl.

[Blue_Suede_Shoes]

One thing I did notice on the OLA page, which no one on this thread mentioned, is that a victim, Nancy Pilas, had aunt and uncle listed as "Paul and Mary Lo (Lou?) Presti". Which adds another layer to perhaps how and why this was covered up. The stepfather (Presti) was no doubt involved with the mother at the time of the OLA fire as they were married soon after in 1959 (when the boy's last name was changed).

I know this is a very late response, but I just wanted to mention that LoPresti (which some families write as Lopresti or Lo Presti) is a different surname than Presti. It's like the difference between Smith and Smythe - they're similar names but they branched off awhile ago. There's probably no relation between the two students.

[LLC]

Love this thread...just rereading it starts my obsession all over again.

The Station thread used to do the same until it was taken over & went downhill. Off to look at everyone's great info on the arsonist.

[pkstracy]

Yeah I hear that LLC.

[atomicbettie]

Now that two people have said it I have to ask. Who has taken over the Station Fire thread and what does that even mean?

[LLC]

Now that two people have said it I have to ask. Who has taken over the Station Fire thread and what does that even mean?

Sent you a meaasage, AB.