On October 11, 2024, Morris Knolls High School welcomed Seton Hall University graduates Shawn Simmons and Alvaro Llanos for a school-wide assembly. The event provided students with an opportunity to hear firsthand from the alumni, who offered insights and inspiration from their personal experiences. Both Shawn and Alvaro are survivors of the Seton Hall University arson fire, which took the lives of three students and changed their lives forever. Shawn and Alvaro, who were severely injured by the 1500-degree F fire, were rushed to Saint Barnabas Medical Center. There, surgeons and nurses worked tirelessly to aid them in recovery.
The two presented a powerful documentary that displayed their journey back to health, highlighting not only the physical and emotional challenges they faced but also the resilience and determination that guided their recovery. Through their story, they emphasized the critical importance of practicing fire safety, urging students to take preventive measures seriously to avoid similar tragedies. Their message left a lasting impact on the audience, reminding them of the value of safety, awareness, and perseverance in the face of adversity. Junior Savannah Amato shared her opinion, “I thought it was sweet. They were very honest and did not shy away from hard topics. I felt inspired by their journey and making something positive out of adversity.”
After the Junior/Senior assembly, Shawn and Alvaro graciously accepted the request to participate in a short interview conducted by Nellia Romanova, and Soniya Shah of the MK Quill staff. The four sat together in the Morris Knolls library discussing the presenters’ responses to some questions raised by the two.
How did your relationships with family and friends evolve during your recovery?
Shawn described how during the recovery, their relationships with family and friends evolved in ways they never could have anticipated. The two truly gained a deeper sense of the immense love and support from those closest to them, as well as from people they didn’t even know. He explained how in times of tragedy, it is difficult to predict how people will react, but the outpouring of support was overwhelming and uplifting. From prayers to gestures of kindness, the strength of their community was incredible.
Alvaro added, “Being stuck in the hospital for such a long time felt isolating as if the walls were closing in on us, but knowing that so many people were rooting for our recovery kept us going.”
Were there any moments where you felt like giving up? If so, what kept you going?
Shawn: “Yes, the physical therapy process was particularly difficult, especially when you feel you do not see any improvements. Our faith got us through it. There was a light at the end of the tunnel.”
What personal goals do you both have moving forward? How do you plan to continue inspiring others?
Shawn: “We just hope that people can see in our story that we didn’t give up. There are going to be hardships in life. There are going to be a lot of lows and highs, and you just have to take them both and use them as a learning tool to make your life more productive, in a sense. We never expected that at the age of 18, we would almost lose our lives because of a fire, but now that we are older, we look at it as a learning tool for us. This showed that we have resilience and that we can overcome a major incident. We want people to see that. We want people to see that they can survive whatever they are going through in life as long as they have the faith, a little bit of patience, and hope.”
Nellia: “I remember how during the assembly, you mentioned that you wanted to be remembered as survivors and not victims. I thought that was very important and that stuck with me.”
Alvaro: “I think that is important because I always picture victims as weak, and we are not weak. We are survivors, and we are strong. Whenever I speak to survivors, I always help them try to see that vision: that they are survivors, not victims. We want to show the strength we have because we are able to overcome obstacles and get back to a normal life.”
Do you think enough is being done to educate students and schools about fire safety? What changes would you like to see?
Shawn: “To an extent, we work with a lot of fire departments across the country, and they have said that they have ‘fumbled the ball’ when it comes to teaching fire safety. They stop talking to young kids in elementary school, and a lot of them say they don’t necessarily have a program that they think can be effective for high school students. When they hear about our program and they see the interaction that we have with the students, they say this is the perfect thing, you know, perfect. So, we think that there’s more that can be done. I just think sometimes people don’t have the necessary resources to get the story out there, and that’s why we try to get to as many places as we can to try to help them out.”
What personal goals do you both have moving forward? How do you plan to continue inspiring others?
Alvaro: “Well, actually I just took a course on cybersecurity. It’s something, I always wanted to learn and I’ve been doing that on the side. But, I feel like God always shows me that this is what I’m supposed to be doing. Sharing our testimony to inspire others. At times, when sometimes I want to rear away and think about doing something else, He showed me or put something in front of me- or someone comes into my life- to remind me that this is what I’m supposed to be doing.”
Shawn: “I think one of my personal goals is to continue sharing our story with as many people as possible. Even though we move further and further away from when the fire occurred, it’s still an important issue that we believe people should hear about. Our audience now wasn’t even around when the fire happened, but there are still issues that occur on college campuses every year. There are still a lot of false alarms, a lot of complacency, and a lot of pranks. We hope that our story will help cut down on some of that, and make people realize that it may be a true emergency when you hear that fire alarm go off. I really hope that people take something valuable from hearing us talk and from our story—something that could maybe save their life.”
Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations you’re excited about that continue your message of resilience?
Shawn: “Nothing in particular. We have this sort of goal, which is to do a presentation in every state in the country. We’ve probably done about 30 at this point, but I would love to get our story out there even more, to more high schools and colleges. This isn’t just a Jersey thing—it’s a national issue as well. In some of the other states we’ve visited, people haven’t even heard about Seton Hall, let alone that there was a fire there. So, getting our story out there would allow people in other states to hear about what we went through.”
Were you nervous about [the book] being published? Did you receive any criticism? Was everyone supportive?
Alvaro: “No, no criticism. Everybody was pretty much supportive of our journey and our story. For me, the part that made me nervous was being in the spotlight, since I’m more of a laid-back person and don’t like being the center of attention. Shawn, on the other hand, loves being the center of attention. For me, it’s been a learning experience, and while it’s already difficult, it was important for us to share our story and testimony so that no one else has to experience what we went through.”
As our conversation came to a close, it became clear that Shawn and Alvaro offered a unique perspective on fire safety and perseverance. Their passion for sharing their story and commitment to their cause serve as an inspiration to the Morris Knolls community. Whether through their words or actions, the two continue to leave a lasting impact, reminding us of courage’s importance. As the juniors and seniors left the MK Auditorium, they were buzzing with excitement and admiration for the presentation.
Here are some photos taken by Soniya Shah from during the interview!
