1996 Astro 4.3L Non-AWD Not Starting....

have a 96 astro with the 4.3L engine, non AWD, that was running fine with around 163,000 miles, we're the 2nd owners, always been dealer-serviced by previous owners. The other morning the misses took it to work, got less than a mile from home and called saying she had ran out of gas, so i took some to where she was, tried to start and it would turn over, but not start. kept trying in intervals thinking the line needed pumped up, back fired a couple of times then noticed a smell, checked under the vehicle and the catalytic converter was cherry red! i immediatly stopped and let it cool, i figured the CC had finally took a dump and would have to be replaced.

When it did cool down, i did finally get it started, but it was missing and would stall whenever i gave it any pedal, but it was running, i drove it home, and it would sit and idle great, so i assummed that the CC had clogged up and had cleared itself of the clog. now, 2 days later it will not start at all. the exhaust has a positive pressure as far as i can tell, and i assume it's getting fuel by the smell, but nothing. if i hold the pedal to the floor, it backfires. i tried a small amount of starting fluid to try to get it to crank, but it had no affect whatsoever.

SO...
Right now, im thinking that i will have to replace the CC, witch by the way is expensive from what i've been told.
Am i missing something here? should there be something else i should check out? i seen a post somewhere about the little poppet valve sticking in the 96-01 gm's, but not sure if thats my problem now, or just one of numerous problems.