Titanic Love Story

"We've lived together for many years" – Ida Strauss spoke these words to her husband. She was one of the wealthiest women on the Titanic, but she chose not to board a lifeboat with her husband, Isadore. Just before this, she gave her maid a valuable gift that likely saved her life.

Isadore and Ida Strauss were originally from Germany but moved to the United States as children. They met in New York and got married five years later. They had seven children, none of whom were on the Titanic.

Isadore started a business in his late teens, and it eventually grew into the glassware department at Macy's. He and his brother became multi-millionaires by taking over the entire department store. They were known in New York for their wealth, charitable work, and deep love for each other. When Isadore went on business trips, Ida often accompanied him, and when she couldn't, they exchanged daily letters.

In 1912, after 40 years of marriage, they decided to sail back to New York from Europe on the Titanic, a new luxury liner. They purchased first-class tickets and enjoyed the ship's amenities, including fine dining, an orchestra, chess, backgammon, a gym, a swimming pool, and squash courts.

However, their luxury cruise took a tragic turn when the Titanic hit an iceberg on the night of April 14th, 1912. Passengers initially didn't realize the danger and even played with chunks of ice that fell onto the deck. But soon, Captain Edward Smith ordered the passengers to don life jackets and board lifeboats.

The Titanic had 20 lifeboats on its upper deck, which wasn't enough for everyone due to concerns about the ship's appearance. Most of the first-class passengers, including the Strausses, were supposed to board these lifeboats. The couple left their private suite and awaited instructions.

As women and children were to board first, Isadore, 67 years old at the time, was offered a seat with his wife due to his age. However, he declined, insisting that he was not too old to sacrifice himself for a woman and chose to stay behind. Ida's maid hesitated before boarding, but Ida convinced her to go. There was still room for Ida, but she refused and gave her mink coat to her maid instead.

Despite the crew's efforts to force her onto the lifeboat, Ida stayed on the deck with Isadore. The Titanic's orchestra continued to play upbeat music in the background as chaos unfolded. The couple held hands as the ship sank, and their last words were about their enduring love: "We've lived together for many years; where you go, I go."

It took an hour for the first lifeboat to reach the water, and the last memory many passengers had of the Titanic was Isadore and Ida standing arm in arm on deck. Over 200 first-class passengers survived, and many of them shared the story of the Strausses' selfless devotion.

A month later, around 30,000 people attended their memorial service in New York. The Strausses' act of sacrificing their lives for others left a lasting impression on those who heard their story. Ellen Bird, Ida's maid, tried to return the famous mink coat to the Strauss family, but they asked her to keep it in memory of Ida. The only item that survived from that fateful night was a gold and Onyx locket that Isadore carried, containing photos of their oldest son and daughter.

Despite the tragedy, some jewelry from the Titanic remained intact even after more than 70 years underwater when an expedition discovered it in 1985. The Titanic continues to fascinate and reveal its secrets, reminding us of the lives lost and the stories of those who survived.