Michel and Edmond Navratil
Michel and Edmond Navratil, known as “the Titanic orphans,” were just four and two years old when the Titanic sank. They were traveling with their father, who put them in the last lifeboat and said goodbye before he didn’t make it.
- When they arrived in New York as the only children rescued without a parent, their mother came to claim them. Edmond passed away in 1953, and Michel, the older brother, died in 2001 at the age of 92. He became a philosophy professor in France and talked philosophically about the Titanic tragedy that took his father’s life.
Elizabeth Shutes
A New York native, Shutes was acting as governess to Mr. William Thompson Graham’s teenage daughter, Margaret, while aboard the Titanic.
- The three of them—all first-class passengers—were sailing back to America where Shutes would continue as Margaret’s governess in Connecticut.
Violet Jessop
Violet Jessop was a stewardess who faced multiple maritime disasters. First, she was on the Olympic when it collided with another ship in 1911.
- Then, she survived the Titanic and got on Lifeboat number 16. Later, in 1916, she was on the Britannic, the Titanic’s sister ship, when it hit a German mine.
- Despite these three ship disasters, Violet kept working on ships until she passed away in 1971 at the age of 84.
Charles Lightoller
Lightoller spent most of the sinking assisting passengers into lifeboats and lowering them down. Despite the danger, he chose to remain on the ship until it went down, showing incredible courage.
- Survival: After the Titanic sank, Lightoller managed to find safety by climbing onto an upside-down lifeboat and waited to be rescued.
- Legacy: Lightoller lived until 1952, leaving behind a legacy of bravery and selflessness that continues to inspire.
Dorothy Gibson
- Dorothy Gibson, a silent film actress, was on the Titanic with her mother. She even acted in the first-ever movie about the Titanic sinking, called “Saved From the Titanic.” But she left the movie business and went back to Europe.
- During World War II, she faced more hardships when she was put in a concentration camp. She survived the camp but sadly passed away in 1946 at the age of 56.
Lucy Noel Leslie
The Countess of Rothes, known as Leslie, didn’t just survive the Titanic; she played a heroic role by helping row Lifeboat 8 to safety.
- A crewman named Able Seamen Thomas Jones said, “She had a lot to say, so I put her to steering the boat.”
- After that, she worked as a nurse during World War I and continued to do charitable work.
Karl Behr
The touching story of Karl Behr, a professional tennis player, and Helen Newsom, who found love during the Titanic disaster.
- Unexpected Connection: Karl met Helen while she was vacationing with her family aboard the Titanic.
- Act of Bravery: When the ship hit an iceberg, Karl woke up Helen and her family, ensuring they all made it onto Lifeboat number 5.
- Survival and Romance: Remarkably, Karl, Helen, and her family all survived. Afterward, Karl and Helen tied the knot and went on to have four children together, showcasing their love story born from tragedy.
Titanic Survivors: Who They Are, What Happened to Them After
A very famous movie called “Titanic” with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet came out in 1997. It made a lot of money, around $2.2 billion at the movie theaters, and was the most successful film for a while. But before it became a huge hit and made the actors super famous, it was based on a sad real-life event where more than 1,504 people lost their lives.
As of now, “there are no more living titanic survivors”. The last survivor Millvina Dean, who was just 2 months old at the time “Titanic Sank”, passed away in 2009 at the age of 97. But, for many years, people have been trying really hard to gather all the stories and information from the people who were on the Titanic and those who were saved.