Chris Welch, reporter for CNN, and Rick Laney, spokesman for Titanic Museum, give viewers a tour of the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge and a taste of what took place as the exhibit during the April 14/15 weekend commemorating the 100th Anniversary of RMS Titanic’s maiden voyage, including visits by descendants of many of the luxury liner’s passengers and crew members..
Rick Laney and the CNN crew (Chris Welch far right)
While many living descendants of Titanic are most commonly found among the great-grandchildren of the ship’s passengers and crew, grandchildren are becoming a rare breed. Rarer still is a living child of the descendants, but Branson will host one of the few remaining children of the ship’s original passengers and crew when Pearl Leemhuis takes her seat at the museum’s ceremonies. Pearl’s mother, Bertha Lehmann was a 17-year-old passenger leaving Switzerland to join her family in Iowa.
Among the descendants attending the tribute in Pigeon Forge will be the grandson of Charles Lightoller, the most senior Titanic crew member to survive the disaster. Timothy Lightoller and his wife are making the trip from their native Scotland to be a part of the tribute.
One of the ship’s most famous passengers, Margaret Brown—known to many as “the unsinkable Molly Brown”—will be represented in Pigeon Forge by her granddaughter, Helen Benziger. Descendants of Isidor and Ida Straus will also be present to pay respects to their ancestors who perished aboard the ship. Isidor Straus was the co-owner with his brother of Macy’s Department Store in New York.
The tribute ceremonies will include performances by choirs, musicians and children as well as a parade of flags, poetry readings, and the lighting of an eternal flame in remembrance of the people aboard Titanic.
Video courtesy of CNN.