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Last survivor with memory of the Titanic dies

Doctor Q

Doctor Q

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Sep 19, 2002
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Lillian Gertrud Asplund, the last American survivor of the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, has died. She was 99.

Asplund, who was just 5 years old, lost her father and three brothers -- including a fraternal twin -- when the "practically unsinkable" ship went down in the North Atlantic after hitting an iceberg.

Asplund was the last Titanic survivor with actual memories of the sinking.
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Her father reportedly smiled as he helped his family into a lifeboat, but then went down with the ship himself. Her mother died at age 98, on April 12 (the 52nd anniversary of the sinking).

Other news sources say that the two last Titanic survivors (both women) are living in England but both were infants when they were rescued and have no memories of that night.
 
It's really unfortunate. Many survivors from historically significant events are dying.

...but at least their legacy will live on forever.
 
It's good that they make movies out of big events, because eventually people will know of them only what they read in old books, hear and see in archival videos, learn from historical websites, etc.

Movies can give you a better idea of how it really felt, as long as they don't play too fast and fancy with the facts.
 
Doctor Q said:
It's good that they make movies out of big events, because eventually people will know of them only what they read in old books, hear and see in archival videos, learn from historical websites, etc.

Movies can give you a better idea of how it really felt, as long as they don't play too fast and fancy with the facts.
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Thats absolutely true. For example, until the Titanic movie, you hardly learned anything in school about Leonardo DeCaprio dying on the Titanic. Thankfully, my brother learned about it in 11th grade history last year, so we are getting better.
 
There was an item on BBC Radio4 this morning about the whole Titanic episode, containing an interview with Lillian Aspland. She addressed the overwhelming gallantry exhibited by the male passengers (women and children first) - very moving. Also she commented on the supposed preferential treatment of the first-class versus the rest. Her view was that there were so many women in first-class and it was a simple spill-over of the same gallantry.
 
Doctor Q said:
Movies can give you a better idea of how it really felt, as long as they don't play too fast and fancy with the facts.
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Well, that pretty much rules out the entire Hollywood studio system.
 
The first news story I read said Lillian Asplund's mother died at age 98 on April 12, the anniversary of the sinking. But the ship hit the iceberg on April 14 and sank on April 15, and another news source says her mother lived to age 90.

It's bad enough that you can't believe the details in movies based on historic events, but apparently you can't believe everything you read on the Internet either! :eek:
 
Doctor Q said:
...and another news source says her mother lived to age 90.
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Well, in all fairness, if she died at 98, she did live to age 90. :p

I do think it's amazing to read of the heroism exhibited during the sinking of that ship, as well as during other terrible events.
 
pinto32 said:
Thats absolutely true. For example, until the Titanic movie, you hardly learned anything in school about Leonardo DeCaprio dying on the Titanic. Thankfully, my brother learned about it in 11th grade history last year, so we are getting better.
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Actually some of these historical movies prompt me to do my own research about the events transpire, I spend a great deal of time reading up on WW2 after watching Band of Brothers. I scan the web for more information about Tibet after watching Kundun. So in all for me, these movies does help but the audience must know fully well that some of these movies are just products of the Hollywood.
 
angelneo said:
Actually some of these historical movies prompt me to do my own research about the events transpire, I spend a great deal of time reading up on WW2 after watching Band of Brothers. I scan the web for more information about Tibet after watching Kundun. So in all for me, these movies does help but the audience must know fully well that some of these movies are just products of the Hollywood.
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It is true that movies do spur many to conduct research on history, etc. My concern is how far too many people take movies at face value.
 
Asplund was the last Titanic survivor with actual memories of the sinking.
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I can only imagine what it may have been like living with those memories. Or dealing with them as a young child. :(


EricNau said:
It's really unfortunate. Many survivors from historically significant events are dying.
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Um, yes, I suppose that happens. Luckily we keep having more historically significant events that people can survive, depending on how you define "historically significant".

Mount St. Helens 1980
Mexico City Earthquake 1985
September 11th 2001
The Tsunami of 2004
Hurricane Katrina
The Pakistan/India Earthquake of 2005
 
Doctor Q said:
Movies can give you a better idea of how it really felt, as long as they don't play too fast and fancy with the facts.
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Unfortunately, it can be difficult at times to know the difference unless you already know about the historical event it seems.

For example, in the movie, "Pearl Harbor" where they fly down Battleship Row in between the battleships. Looks great on film. Never happened in real life. But unless you had prior knowledge, you would never know the difference and it would seem normal.

Anyhow, sounds like she lived a long life. Thanks for the original post.
 
virividox said:
at first when i watched i was like, NO WAY a sequel! then i realized it was just a whole collection of clips, and i was laughing my butt off
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I thought the same thing. They did a good job editing whoever it was that did it. :)
 
In related Titanic news, a 15-ton piece of Titanic's hull was lifted through the roof of the Metreon here in San Francisco today in preparation for an exhibit opening next month.
 
Got me thinking that in a hundred or so years there will be nobody around the speak about the launch of Channel 4, or the Wii, or of the first Macrumors.

Sorta sad in a way.
 
Near, Far, Where ever she iss
I believe that her heart does go onnnn
Once, more, she opens the door
and I hear in her heart and her heart will go on and on

Goodbye last survivor :(
 
WildCowboy said:
In related Titanic news, a 15-ton piece of Titanic's hull was lifted through the roof of the Metreon here in San Francisco today in preparation for an exhibit opening next month.
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Wonderful. What is the fascination with retrieving corroded old parts of a doomed ship turned gravesite for over 1,500 people who needlessly perished in this accident? So we can all gawk at it while gook oozes from our ears? I say leave it the **** alone to rest in peace. :mad:
 
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