The family of a young child trapped in a burning house said they believed that St Thérèse intervened to save her life.
Two and a half year old Michaela Buckley was found huddled in the corner of a room full of toxic smoke and surrounded by rose petals which had touched St Thérèse’s casket.
‘She was found with rose petals around her on the floor in a circle. They were from a rose that touched the relics of St Thérèse,’ Michaela’s grandmother Mrs. Buckley said.
The family is convinced that Michaela was saved by a miracle involving the French saint, whose relics were in Cork the same day (June 2001).
Her mother Tracey and a neighbor, former Olympic boxer Kieran Joyce, fought their way through the house to rescue her. There was so much smoke they could not understand how Michaela managed to survive. Joyce had to crawl along the floor to get to Michaela.
The St Thérèse rose was intact in the room before the fire, but Michaela was found in the corner of her mother’s bedroom surrounded by rose petals. Michaela’s grandmother, Kathleen, remained adamant that there was no logical way that the petals could have fallen on the floor without divine intervention.
‘We left the rose in the room in a little vase. When we came back to rescue her, the petals were around her on the floor,’ said Kathleen.
‘This was a miracle. The room was full of toxic fumes. Even with a wet towel wrapped around her mouth Tracey couldn’t get up there, but Michaela survived,’ Kathleen Buckley said.
‘I think differently of St Thérèse now,’ Kathleen said.
