As seen in the film, O’Leary’s story begins with his miraculous recovery from a near-death accident when he was 9 years old. Given no chance of survival, John endures an unbelievable road to recovery with the support of his family, faith, community and the kindness of his all-time idol, Baseball Hall of Fame announcer Jack Buck. Grateful for his miracle and shaped by life’s struggles, John’s mission to better the world inspires millions to do the extraordinary.
“People have a tendency to move on,” says Lynsey Addario. “It’s my job to get people to continue paying attention.” Love+War profiles the Pulitzer Prize–winning photojournalist as she risks her life for that mission. We follow her on several trips to Ukraine in recent years and trace her past two decades in the war zones of Afghanistan, Iraq, Sierra Leone, and Libya — where she was kidnapped by Muammar Gaddafi’s troops — among others.