Missing Titanic submarine: Pilot's wife related to 1912 Titanic couple
What's the story
Wendy Rush, the wife of Stockton Rush, who is the CEO of OceanGate and the pilot of the Titanic submersible currently stranded at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, is reportedly a descendant of a wealthy couple who died on the Titanic in 1912. This discovery has brought a new aspect to the investigation of the missing submarine and has garnered widespread public interest.
Great-Great-grandparents
Rush is great-great-granddaughter of Ida and Isidor Straus
According to records reviewed by the New York Times, Rush is the great-great-granddaughter of Isidor Straus and his wife, Ida. Born in 1845, Isidor Straus was a co-owner of Macy's department store. He and Ida were married for 40 years when the ship sank. They were among the richest individuals on board the Titanic during its ill-fated transatlantic trip.
Information
Who was Isidor Straus?
Isidor Straus, originally from Bavaria, was a Jewish businessman in America. He co-owned Macy's department store with his brother Nathan. Isidor also had a short tenure as a member of the United States House of Representatives.
Family tree
Understanding Rush's family lineage
Rush is the descendant of Minnie Straus, one of the daughters of the famous couple. She was married to Dr. Richard Weil in 1905 and gave birth to their son, Richard Weil Jr., who later held the position of president at Macy's New York. Wendy Rush, the missing submersible's pilot's wife, is the daughter of Dr. Richard Weil III, son of Richard Weil Jr.
Titanic couple
The Straus couple was featured in the movie 'Titanic'
Guess what? The Strauses were the same couple featured in a scene from the super-famous Hollywood production Titanic (1997) directed by James Cameron. They are the real-life couple shown in a scene featuring an elderly couple holding on to each other in bed as waters rise around them. They gained fame for their heartfelt displays of love during the tragic sinking of the ship.
Twitter Post
Here's the scene from the movie depicting the couple
Wendy Rush, wife of the missing Titanic submarine pilot, is the great-great-grandaughter of two first-class passengers who died arm in arm on the Titanic
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) June 22, 2023
A fictionalized version of the couple was featured in James Cameron's 'Titanic' (1997)
(via @nytimes) pic.twitter.com/302KP9Xg4j
Tragic Titanic story
The heartwarming story behind the tragic sinking of the Titanic
During the Titanic's tragic sinking in 1912, women and children were given priority to board lifeboats. As seen in the movie, many rich adults too jumped on those lifeboats. However, Isidor Straus chose not to take a seat on a lifeboat while women and children were still waiting. Ida decided to stay back with her husband, and they stayed together until the ship sank.
why-does-it-matter
Submersible went missing on Sunday, search operations are on
A submersible carrying five people has been missing since it started its expedition to explore the location of the Titanic shipwreck in the North Atlantic on June 18. During the search, some sounds were heard underwater, causing the search to focus on that area. However, it's still unclear what caused the sounds and whether the five individuals are still alive. Rescue efforts continue.