Netflix’sTitan: The OceanGate Disasterreveals that the Rush family has a connection to the Titanic victims, adding a layer of irony to the ultimate fate of the Titan submersible. The Titanic is, by far, the most famous shipwreck in history, and dozens of movies and documentaries have been made based on the tragedy. With such an influence, it’s not surprising that people long to visit the wreckage. In 2023,OceanGate’s Titan submersible implodedon the way to the Titanic.
Two years later, a Netflix documentary calledTitan: The OceanGate Disasterhas opened audiences’ eyes to how dangerous and reckless the trip was to begin with. Most of thereveals in the Titan submersible documentaryare disturbing. For instance, Stockton Rush repeatedly ignored warnings from his colleagues, leading to disaster. However, Titan: The OceanGate Disaster also provides one interesting tidbit that connects the Rush family to the victims of the Titanic.
Wendy Rush Is Related To Isidor & Ida Blun Straus, Two Victims Of The Titanic
Wendy Rush’s Great-Great-Grandparents Died On The Titanic
Before their tragic deaths, Isidor and Ida Straus had seven children, six of whom survived into adulthood. This has led to a large group of descendants. One of those individuals isWendy Rush (nee Weil), their great-great-granddaughter. Wendy and Stockton met in 1968 when she was a teacher, and he was a pilot (viaMoviedelic). The duo married, and she took his last name.
It’s unknown whether Wendy’s connection to the Titanic contributed to Stockton Rush’s interest in the event, but it seems more likely that he already had an interest in the shipwreck before meeting her. Either way, the outcome of OceanGate’s Titan submersible means that her family will be marked not once but twice by the 1912 tragedy.
Why Isidor & Ida Blun Straus Are Two Of The Most Notable Titanic Victims
Isidor & Ida Were Prolific Even Before Their Tragic Deaths
Although most people think of Jack and Rose, thetrue story of the Titanicreveals Ida and Isidor Blun as the real tragic love story of the event. Ida and Isidor were a wealthy older couple traveling to Jeruselum and Europe. While there, they singlehandedly funded a soup kitchen to feed the hungry, which would feed 500 to 600 people daily. On the way home to the United States, they traveled first class aboard the RMS Titanic.
As the ship began to sink, Ida was offered a spot on a lifeboat. She declined because she didn’t want to part from her husband. They then offered both of them a seat. However, Isidor gave up his seat so that more women and children could be saved. Rather than leaving her husband, she said the iconic quote, “Where you go, I go.” The two were seen embracing on the ship as it went down. Their bravery and love has an incredible legacy.
Aside from their tragic but beautifully touching ending on the Titanic, the couple also had a significant legacy. Although Macy’s started with the eponymous family, the store was eventually acquired by Isidor Straus and his brother Nathan, who built the company into a booming business and household name. On top of this, Isidor Straus became a U.S. Representative for the state of New York, serving in the fifty-third Congress as a Democrat for just one year.
He and Ida advocated for Jewish rights and focused on philanthropic outreach to the Jewish community. Isidor co-founded the Lower East Side’s Educational Alliance, and he and Ida worked with them on moving forward educational initiatives. While Ida was a homemaker focused on raising her children, she was equally involved in charity work and philanthropy. Ultimately, these factors all make them two of the most memorable passengers aboard the Titanic. Many memorials exist for these influential individuals. Sadly, Wendy Rush and her husband, Stockton Rush, won’t be remembered for anything as beautiful.
