A heartbreaking revelation has emerged regarding the tragic incident involving the Titan submersible in the Atlantic Ocean last week. The mother of a teenage boy who lost his life in the implosion of the submersible revealed that she had selflessly given up her spot so that her son could take part in the ill-fated expedition.
The young man, Suleman Dawood, was just 19 years old and had joined the voyage to explore the wreckage of the Titanic. His father, Shahzada Dawood, aged 48, was also on board the submersible.
After the Titan lost contact only one hour and 45 minutes into its dive on Sunday, June 18, a massive search and rescue operation was launched. However, these efforts ended in tragedy when the US Coast Guard discovered a field of debris on Thursday, suggesting that the submersible had imploded. This confirmed the worst fears surrounding the fate of those on board.
According to an interview with the BBC, Christine, the mother of Suleman Dawood, shared that the original plan for the Titanic trip had been made prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, at that time, Suleman was too young to join the expedition, which disappointed him greatly.
Christine revealed, “Initially, it was supposed to be Shahzada and me going down. But I stepped back and gave my spot to Suleman because he really wanted to go.”
When asked about her feelings regarding the decision to switch places with her son, Christine replied, “Let’s just skip that.”
She further mentioned that both Suleman and his father were filled with excitement about the trip. Suleman had even taken a Rubik’s Cube along with him, aiming to break a world record. It was reported that the 19-year-old had the impressive ability to solve a Rubik’s Cube in just 12 seconds and had intended to solve the puzzle at a depth of 3,700 meters beside the remains of the Titanic.
According to The Guardian, Christine and her 17-year-old daughter Alina were on board the Polar Prince, the support vessel for the Titan, along with Suleman and Shahzada. They remained on the support vessel when they received the news that the Titan had lost contact with the surface.
Christine shared, “Initially, we all held onto the belief that they would resurface, so the shock was delayed by approximately 10 hours. There came a time when they were supposed to return to the surface, and when that time passed, the real sense of worry and unease started creeping in. We clung to hope, and it was hope that sustained us. We discussed various actions that the submersible pilots could take, like dropping weights or employing other measures to resurface. We kept our eyes fixed on the surface, hoping for any sign. We went through moments where we thought, ‘It’s just slow right now, it’s slow right now.'”
Reflecting on her husband’s philanthropic endeavors, Christine added, “He was involved in so many things and helped countless people. Alina and I are determined to carry on his legacy and provide a platform for his charitable work. Alina and I have made a pact to learn how to solve the Rubik’s Cube. It will be a challenge for us as we are not very skilled at it, but we are committed to learning.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have lost their loved ones on the Titan. May they find eternal peace. If you would like to pay tribute, please share this article.