The Parlor Mourns the Titan

My goodness, what a week it's been.  On Thursday, the world learned what happened to the five men aboard the Titan submersible.  I felt the need to do something as a tribute to the five men lost, but was so upset that a simple graphic was all I really felt up to.  But, I would like to share a few thoughts...

Let me tell you, what happened to these men is something that...I don't have adequate words...upset me in a deep, profound way.  It was a 9/11 moment, if that makes sense.  That it happened so close to the wreck of the Titanic, which is where they were headed to begin with, made it worse.

Then I learned that the wife of the CEO of the company that owned the Titan is a direct descendant of a couple who died in the sinking of the Titanic. The couple were her great-great-grandparents, Isidor and Ida Straus.

Isidor and Ida Straus (Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia)

The wife of OceanGate's CEO is descended from a famous couple who died on the Titanic 

This lady not only lost her great-great-grandparents, but now, she has lost her husband.  Learning of this just...did something to me.  It's hard to describe.  But it's one of the things about all of this that really does bring tears to my eyes.

I will be honest.  I hoped and prayed for a miracle, that by some fluke, the Titan had become entangled with something on the Titanic herself.  And especially that, by some act of God, they had just enough oxygen to survive as the submersible was brought up from the ocean.  

I don't think I let go of that hope and prayer until the US Coast Guard live briefing that confirmed the debris field found about 1,600 feet from the bow of the Titanic was from the Titan.  That was followed by confirmation of something no one in their right mind ever wants to hear--that the debris indicated catastrophic implosion.

It is my understanding that an investigation into the implosion is now underway.  While we wait to learn more about what led to such a tragedy, let us keep the memories of the five men, their families, friends and colleagues in our hearts and prayers.