I just got of the phone, I've been talking with my cousin Geoge. Today is the 25th anniversary of the devastating fire at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. My Uncle, George Kruse and his wife, Eileen were on the 21st floor. George Sr. was a successfull Chevrolet-Oldsmobile dealer and he loved Las Vegas. They were in bed, sound alseep after enjoying their 2nd night in Las Vegas, when Eillen was awakened by someone shouting. She said she immediatly knew something was wrong, what she described as a rancid smokey ordor had already permeating the room. She shook George, waking him, neither panicked, George, a Korean war combat veteran, camly filled the bathtub and soked all of the towels and bed clothes as Eileen tried the phone, which was dead. There was never any alarms. George never opened the door, instead stuffing the wet towels in all of the cracks and the sheets in the a/c vents. By this time they could see the fire trucks and emergency vehicles below. They took turns waving a pillow case in the window hoping to attract someones attention as smoke slowly creeped into the room. They had slowed the proccess but could not stop it. After about 3 hours George was overcome and passed out. It was then Aunt Eileen panicked, she broke the room window out with her first. At 5' 4" and 120lbs this was an amazing thing. Unfortunatly she cut herself very badly. Loosing blood she said a calm came over her as she tore up more of the bedding to wrap her arm. George was barely breathing as she struggled to get him on the bed so she could lay beside him and wait for the end. She doesn't know how long it was but she was startled by a loud smashing sound at the door. Firemen were breaking down that door with axes. They were taken to the roof where they were evacuated by helicopters to the hospital. Eillen was treated for smoke inhalation and needed almost 30 stiches in her arm(she doesn't remember the exact number). George was in much worse shape, his lungs damaged by the acrid smoke. Eventually he recovered and was flown back home to Illinois to recuperate. You can't imagine what it was like for us back home, we knew what was happening, but it took hours before Eillen was able to call us. They both eventually returned to normal lives although my Uncle's health was never the same, he died from cancer about 10 years ago. The fireman said the only way they survived was by staying calm and George knowing what to do. I asked him several years later how he knew what to do, he laughed, and replied "I think I saw something on TV once." They settled within 3 years for a little over $80,000. He said it wasn't worth it. My Uncle was a great guy and I miss him. He loved cars, Gambling, and women, my kind of guy !