Leftovers Starz★

Did you guys know that I am a professor?

John Jacob Astor IV, alongside his wife, Madeleine Force Astor, taking their dog for a walk, ca. 1912.

The Titanic’s tragic sinking claimed the life of John Jacob Astor IV, a man whose vast fortune, sufficient to construct 30 ships the size of the Titanic, became irrelevant in the face of imminent danger. Instead, he made a moral choice, relinquishing his place on a lifeboat to ensure the safety of two terrified children.

Similarly, Isidor Straus, co-owner of the prominent American department store chain, Macy’s, also aboard the Titanic, declared his refusal to board a lifeboat before other men. His wife, Ida Straus, echoed his sentiment, declining her allocated lifeboat seat and offering it to their newly employed maid, Ellen Bird. She chose to remain with her husband, sharing his final moments.