Nicholas O'Neill

Nicholas Philip O'Neill (January 28, 1985 – February 20, 2003) was the youngest of the 100 victims of The Station nightclub fire, which occurred in West Warwick, Rhode Island. He had turned 18 in January of that year. His life and work as a writer, actor and musician has been memorialized by the documentary 41 and in the book 41 Signs of Hope. 41 is based on the thesis that Nicholas may have somehow foreseen his own death, as suggested by his various documented writings. The film (including the extra material featured on the DVD) includes interviews with, among others, Land, radio host Dave Kane (Nicholas' father), writer Ann Hood, medium Robert Brown, and University of Arizona afterlife researcher Gary Schwartz. He lived for most of his life in Cranston, Rhode Island with his mother and his older half-brothers Christian and William from his mother's first marriage. O'Neill began acting at a young age in church, school and community theater productions, playing such roles as Linus in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie. By the age of 14, he was performing improv comedy and by the age of 17, he had taught himself to play guitar and performed as front man with the rock band Shryne, using the stage name Nicky O. Meanwhile, he began to struggle with school, eventually losing interest in it entirely and dropping out. During his last years, he was focused on acting with the Providence company All Children's Theater, and writing and performing music. He was involved in a serious, long-term relationship with his girlfriend, Gabby Sherba. Shryne was scheduled to perform at the Station the following night, and O'Neill had reportedly befriended Great White lead singer Jack Russell in the days before the fire.

In 41, Nicholas O'Neill's family and friends emphasize his sense of humor, his natural intelligence and wisdom, and his compassion. They note that, despite the brevity of his life, he had a positive influence on many people, as evidenced by the attendance of over a thousand people at his memorial service. and co-directed, with Christian de Rezendes, the 2007 documentary 41. The film, which is named after a number of spiritual significance in O'Neill's life was shown at film festivals across the United States to generally positive reviews.

Dave Kane and Joanne O'Neill were the subject of much of the press surrounding the trial of Daniel Biechele, who ignited the pyrotechnics that caused the Station fire, partly because of Kane's local celebrity and his frequent attacks on Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch. Kane read aloud a letter in which he told Biechele that he and Joanne had forgiven him. Their belief in their son's ongoing presence in their lives was also covered by a Boston Globe feature article in 2006.

Charities

Several charitable funds and entire organizations have been formed in O'Neill's name, including The Nicky O Foundation, the Encore Rep Nick O'Neill Scholarship, and the ACT Nicholas O'Neill Memorial Scholarship.