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After the Flames: A Burn Victim's Battle With Celebrity
On the morning of March 10th, 1988, in Orillia, Ontario, a house fire engulfed fourteen-year-old Joey Philion in flames. He suffered third degree burns on 95 percent of his body. Doctors didn’t think he would make it through the night.
After the Flames is about one of the world's most famous burn victims: his incredible survival, his nightmarish path to recovery that helped revolutionize medical treatment for burn victims worldwide, the fame thrust upon him after he was declared a hero from the media, and the tumultuous years that followed, most of which were spent under the microscope of an unforgiving public eye.
The story also follows Joey’s family, including his mother Linda, stepfather Mike, and younger brother Danny, all of whom endured their own tremendous hardships in the wake of a fire that changed their lives forever.
After the Flames is about one of the world's most famous burn victims: his incredible survival, his nightmarish path to recovery that helped revolutionize medical treatment for burn victims worldwide, the fame thrust upon him after he was declared a hero from the media, and the tumultuous years that followed, most of which were spent under the microscope of an unforgiving public eye.
The story also follows Joey’s family, including his mother Linda, stepfather Mike, and younger brother Danny, all of whom endured their own tremendous hardships in the wake of a fire that changed their lives forever.
- GenresNonfiction
275 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 23, 2024
About the author
Jonathan R. Rose
4 books67 followersBorn and raised in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, Jonathan R. Rose has always been surrounded by different cultural perspectives and experiences, which inspired his love of learning and exploration. As a result, he has spent more than a third of his life in other countries, including Mexico, where he lived for almost 10 years, and Argentina, where he lived for 2 years.
His first novel, Carrion, was published by Montag Press (based out of Oakland, California) in 2015. Montag Press also published his second novel, The Spirit of Laughter, in June of 2020, and his third novel, Wedlock, in June of 2022. His newest book, a work of nonfiction titled After The Flames, was released by Dundurn Press in January of 2024.
His short stories have appeared in several literary magazines, including The Spadina Literary Review, The Danforth Review, Nebula Rift Science Fiction Magazine and Lumiere De Nuit (based out of Puebla, Mexico).
To learn more about Jonathan R. Rose, you can visit his website at www.JonathanRRose.com
His first novel, Carrion, was published by Montag Press (based out of Oakland, California) in 2015. Montag Press also published his second novel, The Spirit of Laughter, in June of 2020, and his third novel, Wedlock, in June of 2022. His newest book, a work of nonfiction titled After The Flames, was released by Dundurn Press in January of 2024.
His short stories have appeared in several literary magazines, including The Spadina Literary Review, The Danforth Review, Nebula Rift Science Fiction Magazine and Lumiere De Nuit (based out of Puebla, Mexico).
To learn more about Jonathan R. Rose, you can visit his website at www.JonathanRRose.com
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 19, 2023
Thank you Dundurn Press and Goodreads for an ARC of this book.
Jonathan Rose beautifully and accurately described the eerie atmosphere of a burn ward. I know because my brother was burned badly in a fire. I spent a lot of time there and it's unlike any other part of the hospital. I'll never forget what I saw and heard while sitting bedside and in the waiting room. My brother died a few years later with the fire being a contributing factor. Like Jonathan, my family was dysfunctional. I had siblings who took all the attention of my parents. I've also been around substance abuse. So, even though the situation in my family was different much of this book was relatable to me.
I was fascinated in this study of what happens to a family after a tragedy. Linda and Mike were not wealthy or well educated. They did not always make good choices. I suspect that in these aspects they're like most of us.
I was dumbstruck when Jonathan explained how "The House that Love Built" was constructed and placed on the same lot as the house that burned without the approval of Linda or Joey. They conceded only because they were not offered other options that would work for them. I wonder how many other people are railroaded into good deeds that don't completely suit their situation and are forced to smile and act happy on the morning news.
Overall, this is a well written study in what happens after the media leaves a tragedy. I would have easily given four stars if the narrative was not occasionally jarring. I found this to be especially true with the story of what happened to Joey's younger brother. The brother's disability wasn't even brought up until late in the book. I think I would've been able to put Linda's actions in better context if I knew of Danny's own medical struggles.
This book is profoundly sad. So much hardship fell onto this one family. It is a worthy read.
Jonathan Rose beautifully and accurately described the eerie atmosphere of a burn ward. I know because my brother was burned badly in a fire. I spent a lot of time there and it's unlike any other part of the hospital. I'll never forget what I saw and heard while sitting bedside and in the waiting room. My brother died a few years later with the fire being a contributing factor. Like Jonathan, my family was dysfunctional. I had siblings who took all the attention of my parents. I've also been around substance abuse. So, even though the situation in my family was different much of this book was relatable to me.
I was fascinated in this study of what happens to a family after a tragedy. Linda and Mike were not wealthy or well educated. They did not always make good choices. I suspect that in these aspects they're like most of us.
I was dumbstruck when Jonathan explained how "The House that Love Built" was constructed and placed on the same lot as the house that burned without the approval of Linda or Joey. They conceded only because they were not offered other options that would work for them. I wonder how many other people are railroaded into good deeds that don't completely suit their situation and are forced to smile and act happy on the morning news.
Overall, this is a well written study in what happens after the media leaves a tragedy. I would have easily given four stars if the narrative was not occasionally jarring. I found this to be especially true with the story of what happened to Joey's younger brother. The brother's disability wasn't even brought up until late in the book. I think I would've been able to put Linda's actions in better context if I knew of Danny's own medical struggles.
This book is profoundly sad. So much hardship fell onto this one family. It is a worthy read.
Read
October 18, 2024After the Flames is a tough, but great read. It offers a nice balance of factual detail with some well-applied literary flourishes, such as a harrowing description of the screams in the burn unit at Sick Kid’s Hospital in Toronto.
This is truly a remarkable story that benefits from the author’s closeness to the family (his biological father was Joey Philion’s stepdad). At the same time, the author avoids the temptation to portray events “through his eyes” and only adds a few personal observations that enhance the narrative.
The book depicts burn victim Joey as basically an average young teen who went through hell. His post-burn recuperation is grimly detailed. Joey’s eventual trajectory is sad and depressing, and a reminder that survival stories don’t always end well.
The recurring updates about “the house that love built” also show the dark side of charitable impulses (contractors and builders constructed a free home for Joey, fitted with amenities to aid in his recovery. Lovely as it was, the house required expensive upkeep which Joey and family couldn’t afford).
Recommended.
Nate Hendley, Author of “The Beatle Bandit” and “Atrocity on the Atlantic”
This is truly a remarkable story that benefits from the author’s closeness to the family (his biological father was Joey Philion’s stepdad). At the same time, the author avoids the temptation to portray events “through his eyes” and only adds a few personal observations that enhance the narrative.
The book depicts burn victim Joey as basically an average young teen who went through hell. His post-burn recuperation is grimly detailed. Joey’s eventual trajectory is sad and depressing, and a reminder that survival stories don’t always end well.
The recurring updates about “the house that love built” also show the dark side of charitable impulses (contractors and builders constructed a free home for Joey, fitted with amenities to aid in his recovery. Lovely as it was, the house required expensive upkeep which Joey and family couldn’t afford).
Recommended.
Nate Hendley, Author of “The Beatle Bandit” and “Atrocity on the Atlantic”
April 11, 2024
Thank you @dundurnpress and @jonathan.r.rose for my #giftedcopy of After The Flames.
Out now
This was an incredibly painful story to read. It is a true story and takes you through everything that young Joey faced after suffering third-degree burns on 95% of his body in 1988.
Afterwards he became somewhat of a celebrity for surviving despite the expectation of death from everyone on his health team.
The book is well written and very informative. There were a few parts that I felt were a little wordy and unnecessary but it was a quick read.
I truly cannot imagine what this poor boy went through. His survival was truly a miracle but at what cost?
His recovery and life after were so painful and full of so many narcotics.
⚠️This could be extremely triggering for anyone who has faced long term hospitalization. And is not recommended for those who are squeamish. I’ve worked in EMS and other areas of healthcare for years and often had a hard time reading it.⚠️
All reviews can be found on instagram @thriller_chick
Out now
This was an incredibly painful story to read. It is a true story and takes you through everything that young Joey faced after suffering third-degree burns on 95% of his body in 1988.
Afterwards he became somewhat of a celebrity for surviving despite the expectation of death from everyone on his health team.
The book is well written and very informative. There were a few parts that I felt were a little wordy and unnecessary but it was a quick read.
I truly cannot imagine what this poor boy went through. His survival was truly a miracle but at what cost?
His recovery and life after were so painful and full of so many narcotics.
⚠️This could be extremely triggering for anyone who has faced long term hospitalization. And is not recommended for those who are squeamish. I’ve worked in EMS and other areas of healthcare for years and often had a hard time reading it.⚠️
All reviews can be found on instagram @thriller_chick
June 3, 2025
A truly engrossing read. This book really puts into perspective how one single event can impact so many lives.
Thank you Dundurn Press for the complimentary copy.
Thank you Dundurn Press for the complimentary copy.
February 12, 2024
**Warning. Contains Spoilers **
This is a riveting, gut-wrenching, factual account of a family dealing with a tragic event and its effects. In 1988, a rapidly burning fire destroyed a modest home in Orillia, Ontario. The writer Jonathan Rose has previously published several books and is an avid traveller. He is also the stepbrother of Joey Philion, who barely survived the fire at age 14. His writing is very descriptive and doesn't flinch when writing about all the sad and gory details. He chronicles events that are very disturbing to read, such as procedures in a hospital's burn unit.
At the time of the fire, the parents, the mother, Linda and step-father Matt, left early in the morning on a short drive to take Matt to work. The boys, Joey and his younger brother Danny were asleep in bed. His mother would soon return to make their breakfast. Danny runs to a neighbour, saying Joey was trapped inside the house, now an inferno. They found Joey lying among broken glass in a snowbank. His clothing and body were so severely burned that nearby trees and a swing started to burn.
Joey later claimed that he jumped through a second-storey window engulfed in a ball of fire and that he rushed into the flames looking for his mother. In fact, the house only had one storey, and he knew his mother was not at home. He had awakened early and started the fire in the kitchen by accident.
The paramedics who arrived and the doctors at the hospital did not expect him to survive the night. Joey sustained 4th and 5th-degree burns to 95% of his body. He did survive and endured excruciating pain until he died in 2021 at age 48. He was transferred back and forth between the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and the Shriners Children's Hospital in Boston. The mother was a tower of strength in her determination for Joey to survive. She remained at his side in the burn units of the hospitals. Neither hospital had witnessed anyone surviving all the many medical procedures and operations he had to endure. Many of the treatments were experimental. Linda was told there was little chance of him living through many procedures. Constantly at his side, rarely sleeping, she was described as obsessive, irrational, and fanatical. She would loudly disagree with medical professionals about her son's treatment and put so much effort into Joey's health and welfare that Matt and Danny felt neglected. She turned to alcohol abuse and two packs of cigarettes a day.
Matt and Linda always hoped to move to Vancouver Island with the boys. Matt was very much in love with her despite her erratic behaviour. The news reporters swarmed every family move, adding to their misery. The news media proclaimed Joey a hero for saving Danny and trying to find his mother in the blaze. He received awards and gifts from celebrities in music, acting, sports, aviation, and politics and fundraisers were held on his behalf. Citizens of Orillia started a trust fund, and a fine home was built for the family by local tradesmen who donated free labour. The house had an elevator for Joey and a pool for his treatments. After his feet needed to be amputated, he received a motorized wheelchair. No one had asked if they wanted the house built on the site of the one that had burned to the ground or if they might prefer to move elsewhere. There was a lot of hostility when they suggested selling the "House That Love Built" and realizing their dream by moving to B.C. They were considered ungrateful, and the town's donors turned against them. Rumours spread that they were squandering Joey's trust fund, but they had no access to it.
With Joey out of hospital, he needed much support for his various conditions. He was on a massive amount of pills for pain, infections, depression, muscle spasms and insomnia. He required help to dress his wounds and be lifted. Much of this strenuous work fell on Matt. He and Danny had a cottage on Vancouver Island, which was destroyed in a flood. Now, the story becomes very bizarre.
Joey's biological father was a man named Wally. He had been a heroin addict but now reappeared in their lives. He was now reformed and a born-again Christian with cult-like followers. He was with Linda and Danny while Joey was in the Boston hospital again. When Matt became aware that something peculiar was happening, he was upset and angry. He rushed off to Boston, prepared to fight Wally, kidnap his family and bring them back to Canada. Matt was arrested and ordered to get out of the USA or go to prison. The boys wanted to return, but Linda stayed behind, being brainwashed into believing Joey's feet would grow back, that he was the new Messiah, and that he would walk the earth converting people into the cult. The boys wanted nothing to do with Wally and were glad to escape him.
Joey was now married, and they lived in the house built for him. The citizens of Orillia, who had donated money, time, and effort, were angry about the house's deterioration. The nursing assistants were not paid, phone and electric bills were neglected, property taxes were unpaid, the elevator, wheelchair and sprinkling system were broken, and Joey and his wife relied on the food bank. He was no longer regarded as a hero, and there were debates in the media about whether to reveal his lies. Very little money remained in the trust fund. Where did it go?
Danny had died from overdosing on Joey's pills while partying. Linda died from lung cancer with Matt at her side. Matt suffers from PTSD.
I found this non-fiction book tragic, horrifying and sadder than any recent work of fiction.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for my copy. The date of publication will be February 20.
This is a riveting, gut-wrenching, factual account of a family dealing with a tragic event and its effects. In 1988, a rapidly burning fire destroyed a modest home in Orillia, Ontario. The writer Jonathan Rose has previously published several books and is an avid traveller. He is also the stepbrother of Joey Philion, who barely survived the fire at age 14. His writing is very descriptive and doesn't flinch when writing about all the sad and gory details. He chronicles events that are very disturbing to read, such as procedures in a hospital's burn unit.
At the time of the fire, the parents, the mother, Linda and step-father Matt, left early in the morning on a short drive to take Matt to work. The boys, Joey and his younger brother Danny were asleep in bed. His mother would soon return to make their breakfast. Danny runs to a neighbour, saying Joey was trapped inside the house, now an inferno. They found Joey lying among broken glass in a snowbank. His clothing and body were so severely burned that nearby trees and a swing started to burn.
Joey later claimed that he jumped through a second-storey window engulfed in a ball of fire and that he rushed into the flames looking for his mother. In fact, the house only had one storey, and he knew his mother was not at home. He had awakened early and started the fire in the kitchen by accident.
The paramedics who arrived and the doctors at the hospital did not expect him to survive the night. Joey sustained 4th and 5th-degree burns to 95% of his body. He did survive and endured excruciating pain until he died in 2021 at age 48. He was transferred back and forth between the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and the Shriners Children's Hospital in Boston. The mother was a tower of strength in her determination for Joey to survive. She remained at his side in the burn units of the hospitals. Neither hospital had witnessed anyone surviving all the many medical procedures and operations he had to endure. Many of the treatments were experimental. Linda was told there was little chance of him living through many procedures. Constantly at his side, rarely sleeping, she was described as obsessive, irrational, and fanatical. She would loudly disagree with medical professionals about her son's treatment and put so much effort into Joey's health and welfare that Matt and Danny felt neglected. She turned to alcohol abuse and two packs of cigarettes a day.
Matt and Linda always hoped to move to Vancouver Island with the boys. Matt was very much in love with her despite her erratic behaviour. The news reporters swarmed every family move, adding to their misery. The news media proclaimed Joey a hero for saving Danny and trying to find his mother in the blaze. He received awards and gifts from celebrities in music, acting, sports, aviation, and politics and fundraisers were held on his behalf. Citizens of Orillia started a trust fund, and a fine home was built for the family by local tradesmen who donated free labour. The house had an elevator for Joey and a pool for his treatments. After his feet needed to be amputated, he received a motorized wheelchair. No one had asked if they wanted the house built on the site of the one that had burned to the ground or if they might prefer to move elsewhere. There was a lot of hostility when they suggested selling the "House That Love Built" and realizing their dream by moving to B.C. They were considered ungrateful, and the town's donors turned against them. Rumours spread that they were squandering Joey's trust fund, but they had no access to it.
With Joey out of hospital, he needed much support for his various conditions. He was on a massive amount of pills for pain, infections, depression, muscle spasms and insomnia. He required help to dress his wounds and be lifted. Much of this strenuous work fell on Matt. He and Danny had a cottage on Vancouver Island, which was destroyed in a flood. Now, the story becomes very bizarre.
Joey's biological father was a man named Wally. He had been a heroin addict but now reappeared in their lives. He was now reformed and a born-again Christian with cult-like followers. He was with Linda and Danny while Joey was in the Boston hospital again. When Matt became aware that something peculiar was happening, he was upset and angry. He rushed off to Boston, prepared to fight Wally, kidnap his family and bring them back to Canada. Matt was arrested and ordered to get out of the USA or go to prison. The boys wanted to return, but Linda stayed behind, being brainwashed into believing Joey's feet would grow back, that he was the new Messiah, and that he would walk the earth converting people into the cult. The boys wanted nothing to do with Wally and were glad to escape him.
Joey was now married, and they lived in the house built for him. The citizens of Orillia, who had donated money, time, and effort, were angry about the house's deterioration. The nursing assistants were not paid, phone and electric bills were neglected, property taxes were unpaid, the elevator, wheelchair and sprinkling system were broken, and Joey and his wife relied on the food bank. He was no longer regarded as a hero, and there were debates in the media about whether to reveal his lies. Very little money remained in the trust fund. Where did it go?
Danny had died from overdosing on Joey's pills while partying. Linda died from lung cancer with Matt at her side. Matt suffers from PTSD.
I found this non-fiction book tragic, horrifying and sadder than any recent work of fiction.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for my copy. The date of publication will be February 20.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2023
A fourteen-year old boy severely burned and not expected to live, but he does. You feel sympathy for him, but it wears thin. We’re told right away that he lied. He didn’t run back into the house to look for his mother, whom he knew wasn’t home.
The media intrusion was a nightmare. Everyone in town had their opinions on how the family should behave, and moving to Vancouver was not acceptable after they received a free new house.
The family did not help themselves with their lifestyles and choices over the years. The writing style wasn’t appreciated, jumping around, using phrases like “perhaps the fire was incensed at Joey’s audacity for daring to challenge it.”
April 26, 2024
Rose’s nonfiction debut is as skillfully crafted as his previous works of fiction. (I recommend you pick up his first novel, Carrion, when you finish reading After the Flames.) This latest work delivers an emotional wallop thanks to Rose’s familial connections with the real-life people who make up the heart of After the Flames. Rose carefully reveals the corroding power of society, especially when that society starts out with the best of intentions. The author also shows us the miraculous effects of commitment and the desire to survive. After the Flames will smolder in your mind long after the last page.
February 10, 2024
This story impacted me for days after reading. I still can't believe what this family went through, it's heart wrenching!
I personally don't hold the burn victim responsible for the lie, since I think it was fed to him at a time where he was in pain and drugged, AND unable to speak. Once that story took hold, how could he go back with all the attention he was receiving?
Different story telling, but totally riveting - I couldn't put it down
I personally don't hold the burn victim responsible for the lie, since I think it was fed to him at a time where he was in pain and drugged, AND unable to speak. Once that story took hold, how could he go back with all the attention he was receiving?
Different story telling, but totally riveting - I couldn't put it down
February 25, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I would like to read more books by Jonathan R. Rose.
March 3, 2024
Such a tragic story.
April 28, 2024
1.5// Written as if he heard the story from Mike and ?Linda - not Joey himself. His thoughts and experience with the family at the end was written way better than 90% of the book.
January 13, 2025
What a heartbreaking story.
Excellent writing.
Excellent writing.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews