Wife of Missing Submersible's Pilot Wendy Rush Descended from Titanic

According to a New York Times report, Wendy Rush, the wife of Stockton Rush, CEO of OceanGate Expeditions, is a descendant of an American couple who tragically lost their lives during the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912.

As per the report, Wendy Rush is the great-granddaughter of Isidor and Ida Straus, a couple who were passengers on the RMS Titanic when it sank in April 1912.

Wendy Rush holds the position of Director of Communications and is also an Expedition Team Member at OceanGate Expeditions. The company operates a tourist submarine associated with the Titanic that has gained significant worldwide attention. Currently, there is a time-sensitive search mission underway for the five individuals aboard the submarine, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, who was piloting the submersible.

Isidor Straus, born in 1845, was a co-owner of the Macy's department store. In the 1997 film "Titanic" directed by James Cameron, Isidor Straus and his wife, Ida Straus, were portrayed as an elderly couple who made the decision to remain together when the ship sank. A memorable scene in the movie shows the New York couple embracing each other in bed as water enters their cabin.

The wife of Stockton Rush, the pilot of the missing Titanic tour submarine, is actually the great-great-granddaughter of two first-class passengers who died on the Titanic, records show.

A fictionalized version of the couple is even featured in the movie. pic.twitter.com/XVd7IkOmEw

— Pop Base (@PopBase) June 22, 2023

According to the Daily Mail, Wendy Rush's great-grandparents, Isidor and Ida Straus, had an opportunity to escape the tragic event of 1912 on a lifeboat. However, Isidor Straus, who also had a background as a US congressman, chose to remain onboard until all women and children had been evacuated from the ill-fated ship. Ida Straus was determined to stay with her husband, refusing to leave without him.

The submersible named Titan, which was headed to the wreckage of the Titanic in the Atlantic Ocean, lost communication on Sunday. On board, the submersible were five individuals: Hamish Harding, a British billionaire based in Dubai; Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman Dawood, both belonging to a notable Pakistani family; Paul-Henry Nargeolet, a French explorer and Titanic expert; and Stockton Rush.