Stella Sullivan, née Morandini, was the first wife of reporter Mike Sullivan. She was a rather petite woman, who was unafraid to speak her mind, a fact that attracted Mike to her in the first place. Her parents were Italian immigrants. They disapproved of her relationship with the Irish-American Mike. Mike's parents also disapproved, but to a lesser extent because Mike's brother, Charlie, was engaged to a Hungarian Jew named Esther Polgar. Mike was able to cover the subsequent fire at the Executive Mansion that killed Roosevelt, his wife, and several others, leaving Steele the party nominee.