A Life of Duty and Sacrifice: John Thayer on Titanic
I have been learning about some of the people who were on board the Titanic, I want to tell you a liyyle about John Borland Thayer II.
He was born on the 21st of April 1862 in Philadelphia, into a well-established family. At the University of Pennsylvania, he was a good athlete, captaining the baseball team and playing cricket.
After university, he entered the Pennsylvania Railroad, starting as a clerk. Over the years, he rose through the ranks. By 1911, he had become second vice-president, helping manage one of the busiest rail networks in the United States.
In 1892, he married Marian Morris, and together they had four children. By 1912, the family had spent some time travelling in Europe. They boarded Titanic at Cherbourg, to start the journey home.
On the night of the 14th of April, everything changed for so many, including for Thayer and his family. When the Titanic hit the iceberg, he made sure his wife was safely in a lifeboat. His teenage son, Jack managed to survive by leaping into the freezing water. Thayer himself chose not to board a boat.
His body was sadly never recovered, and for a short time there was some confusion, with reports believing he had survived.
Do you think, in those final moments, duty to others mattered more than survival?
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