The Titanic Museum Attraction invites you to explore the intriguing connections between the RMS Titanic and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. As we know, Cherbourg, France, was the last port of call for the Titanic, where passengers from various nations, including future Olympic host France, eagerly boarded the ship. This diverse group included individuals from America, England, Belgium, and other countries, echoing the international spirit of the Olympic Games, where athletes from around the world come together in a celebration of global unity and competition.
Titanic passenger Richard Norris Williams was born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland with his father Charles Duane Williams. Both men boarded the RMS Titanic in Cherbourg, France. By the age of 21, Richard was already a very accomplished tennis player, and was headed to America to compete in tennis tournaments and attend Harvard University. After the collision on April 14th, the two men left their stateroom on C-Deck as the ship sank under them. Richard and Charles had to swim in the frigid 28-degree water, and unfortunately, his father Charles did not survive. Waves from a collapsing tunnel pushed Richard towards Collapsible Lifeboat A, and he clung to its side until he was pulled aboard. The survivors in Collapsible A had suffered severely due to being waist-deep in freezing water, and they were eventually transferred over to Lifeboat 14. Once on the Carpathia, the doctor recommended that Richard’s legs be amputated due to the effects of the extreme cold, but Richard refused. After months of daily exercise, Richard’s legs eventually recovered.
After Richard survived the Titanic disaster, he went on to win the U.S. mixed doubles tennis tournament in 1912, later becoming a United States singles champion and a Wimbledon men’s doubles champion. He continued his tennis career, attended Harvard University, and served with distinction in the U.S. Army in World War I. He achieved the pinnacle of his athletic career by winning a gold medal at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, linking his legacy to this year’s Olympic host city 100 years later. As we celebrate the 2024 Olympics, we honor Richard Norris Williams and reflect on how the Titanic’s story continues to connect with various facets of our shared history. The Titanic Museum Attraction celebrates these legacies that remind us history’s threads are interwoven into many aspects of our lives, and the courage, hope and resiliency of Olympic Gold Medalist, Richard Norris Wiliams.