WSBE airs "41" and "They Walk Among Us" Marking 10th Anniversary

 Ten years ago, on the night of February 20, 2003, hundreds of rock music fans gathered at a local club in West Warwick, RI, to hear a national band. But excitement turned to panic when indoor pyrotechnics ignited the club and the small building burned to the ground in a few minutes. The fire - one of the worst in United States history - claimed 100 lives, injured 200, and left a permanent scar on the larger Rhode Island community.

Marking the tenth anniversary of the devastating fire at The Station nightclub, WSBE Rhode Island PBS airs two films about the youngest victim, Nicholas "Nicky" O'Neill: 41 (Director's Cut) and They Walk Among Us.

41, a documentary by Christian de Rezendes and Christian O'Neill (Nicky O'Neill's older brother) airs Saturday, February 16 at 7 p.m. as part of Rhode Island Stories on Rhode Island PBS (36.1). It airs on the anniversary itself, February 20 at 8 p.m. on Learn (36.2). This extended Director's Cut includes additional footage and storytelling shown for the first time on Rhode Island PBS. 41 paints a portrait of Nicky's 18 years - packed full in so short a time with prolific writing, composing, acting... and an obsession with the number 41  But what makes the film so remarkable is the story after the story: what happened - and continues to happen - after the deadly fire took his life. Signs are everywhere that Nicky's spirit continues to move among his family and friends. Even strangers. 41 is a story of uplifting hope, insight, and comfort. And it may change the way you think about life and death.

They Walk Among Us is the filmed stage performance of a one-act play written by Nicky O'Neill a year before the fire. Amazingly, the play tells the story of teenagers who have died and become angels, with one of the characters based on Nicky himself. A year after the manuscript was found, the play was performed by a group of dedicated friends and family members who had come together to present a work that has since become a local legend.

They Walk Among Us gives us a glimpse into the heart of a gifted young man whose time came much too soon, while also celebrating the spirit of a community joined together to share with the world a life-changing message of hope.

First released in 2005, this recent version of the film has been thoroughly re-edited, with a new opening sequence and a new original score by composer Michael Teoli. They Walk Among Us is directed by Christian O'Neill, filmed and edited by Christian De Rezendes, and produced by Dave Kane.

They Walk Among Us premieres Sunday, February 17 at 11 p.m. on Rhode Island PBS (36.1) and follows 41 on February 20 at 10 p.m. on Learn.

Christian de Rezendes

Christian O'Neill

 

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) programming over the air on digital 36.1; on Rhode Island cable: Cox 08 / 1008HD, Verizon FiOS 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; on Massachusetts cable: Comcast 819HD and Verizon FiOS 18 / 518HD; on satellite: DirecTV 36 / 3128HD, Dish Network 7776.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; in RI on Cox 808; Verizon FiOS 478; Full Channel 109; in MA on Comcast 294 or 312.

Eight Years Since "The Station" Fire

On Sunday, February 20, it will be eight years since the fast-moving fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick claimed 100 lives and forever changed the lives of many hundreds more. To mark that grim moment in the history or Rhode Island's family, WSBE will reprise the documentary, "41" on February 20 at 11 p.m.  41 the story about the fire's youngest victim, Nicholas O'Neill, who was 18 at the time of the fire.

Earlier that day,  a memorial service is scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. on the site where the nightclub once stood on Cowesset Avenue. The memorial service program, directions, and more information is available at The Station Fire Memorial Foundation.  This story by WPRI updates the efforts to create a permanent memorial park on the site.

Sunday night's film, 41, was produced and directed by Christian De Rezendes and Christian O'Neill (Nicky's older brother). It paints a portrait of Nicky's 18 years - packed full in so short a time with the young man's prolific writing, composing, acting... and his fascination with the number 41. But what makes the film so remarkable is the story after the story: what happened - and continues to happen - after the deadly fire took his life on February 20, 2003. Signs are everywhere that Nicky's spirit continues to move among his family and friends. Even strangers.

"41" is a story of uplifting hope, insight, and comfort. And it may change the way you think about life and death.

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WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

Viewers with high definition (HD) capability can receive WSBE Rhode Island PBS HD programming over the air on digital 36.1, Cox 708, Verizon 508, ComCast 819.

Marking the Grim Anniversary of The Station Nightclub Fire

Saturday, February 20th, marks a grim anniversary for Rhode Island: it is the night The Station nightclub fire snuffed out 100 lives and irreparably altered the lives of 300 more who survived the inferno. Even seven years later, stories are still being written, opening old wounds fresh and new. Admittedly, for the loved ones of the 100 - brothers and sisters, sons and daughter, fathers and mothers, husbands and wives - seven years is a blink in time. As for the rest of us who were not directly affected, we are reminded that life can be turned upside down in a matter of minutes.

On Saturday night at 10 P.M., WSBE Rhode Island PBS will re-broadcast the film, 41. It's a story about the fire's youngest victim, Nicholas O'Neill, then only 18. The film was produced and directed by Christian De Rezendes and Christian O'Neill (Nicky's older brother).

This earlier blog, from our television debut of the film in November, describes the documentary and includes a video clip from WPRI's The Rhode Show of an interview with Nicky's father, Dave Kane.

41 will be re-broadcast on Monday, February 22 at 2:30 A.M. 

WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air on digital 36.1; Cox/Verizon/Full Channel 08; DirecTV 36; Dish Network 7776; ComCast subscribers, please check local listings for the channel number in your area.

WSBE Learn transmits over the air on digital 36.2; Cox 808; Verizon 478; ComCast 294.

Viewers with high definition (HD) capability can receive WSBE Rhode Island PBS HD programming over the air on digital 36.1, Cox 708, Verizon 508, ComCast 819.

Tale of a Monarch

My father passed in March 2006. What my brother and I thought might be a bad cold or even pneumonia was actually a massive coronary that unexpectedly but quite efficiently swept our dad from our lives. Stunned, I remember standing outside the hospital and saying to my brother, "We're orphans." An odd reaction to be sure, especially for a grown woman with 4 college and high school children of her own. Having lost my mother a little more than a year before, the sense of loss and abandonment was overwhelming.

About a year after my dad passed, monarch butterflies started to appear around me in greater frequency than I considered usual, and in places I considered odd. I was not looking for butterflies, mind you - but each seemed to make sure I noticed it, fluttering close enough to demand my attention.

One of the oddest places was right on the beach at Scarborough. Not the grassy area where wildflowers grow, but the breezy sandy beach. I've seen plenty of sea gulls there, but never the elegantly fragile orange and black wings of a monarch butterfly. Yet that summer, it happened a few times.

The other oddest place was right here at work. On the north side of the station building is storage with double garage doors. The "driveway" area is completely paved with aging asphalt, and abuts another commercial property's paved driveway. There is a tall steel microwave tower, a dumpster, and chain link fencing. The only thing remotely green are weeds invading cracks in the pavement.

One pleasant afternoon that summer of 2007, I was outside enjoying the weather as I edited some material. Sitting on a low concrete platform near the door, I was visited by a monarch butterfly. I had never seen butterflies in that area before - moths and other insects, maybe, but not butterflies, and certainly not monarchs. This one didn't just flutter by. It actually landed on my knee! It perched, opened and closed its wings a few times, then fluttered off.

And thoughts of my dad immediately washed over me.

I share this very personal story with you because I just watched the full version of 41, a remarkable story about the Station nightclub fire's youngest victim, Nicholas O'Neill.WSBE Rhode Island PBS airs this documentary tonight at 8 P.M. I invite you to watch the film, too, and hear the way this young man touched - touches - lives of those around him in unexpected and lingering ways.

Your comments about the film and stories of your own experiences are most welcome.

- Lucie Raposo Houle

At Times Heartwarming and Heartbreaking, "41" Will Touch You

Yesterday, I had the pleasure to meet the two filmmakers of 41, Christian De Rezendes and Christian O'Neill, at an event at the elegant Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket. It's not surprising that these two talented and charming young men created such a good film as 41.

What is 41?

It's a remarkable story of The Station nightclub fire's youngest victim, Nicholas O'Neill (Christian O'Neill's brother). It paints a portrait of Nicky's 18 years - packed full in so short a time with prolific writing, composing, acting... and an obsession with the number 41. But what makes the film so remarkable is the story after the story: what happened - and continues to happen - after the deadly fire took his life on February 20, 2003. Signs are everywhere that Nicky's spirit continues to move among his family and friends. Even strangers.

41 is a story of uplifting hope, insight, and comfort. And it may change the way you think about life and death.

41 airs on WSBE Rhode Island PBS on Wednesday, November 18 at 8 P.M.

The Rhode Show (on WPRI-TV 12) did a story this morning about the documentary, including an interview with Nicky's father, broadcaster Dave Kane. Here is the video from WPRI.com

Click the link below to view the documentary trailer. And for more information, go to http://www.41themovie.com/index2.html