In my family there is a story about my great grandfather Richard Norris Williams who became a popular tennis player and is famously known for surviving the Titanic. Richard attended a private boarding school in Switzerland and spoke both German and French. After he graduated, he boarded the Titanic to go and live in America. When the Titanic hit the iceberg, many lower classes people were locked in their rooms to prioritize the wealthy instead. However, Richard was able to break down the door to save one of the passengers and saved them from drowning. This scene is depicted in the film Titanic by James Cameron, when Jack saves a person by breaking down the door while the Titanic is sinking. As the Titanic sank, Richard and his father jumped off the boat, as they would die if they didn't. Many people on the Titanic died in the freezing water, and others died when one of the four great funnels fell, and his father happened to be one of those victims. Richard managed to find a lifeboat and sat in there with his legs dipped in freezing water for hours. Luckily the Carpathia, which was a rescue ship, came and Richard was saved. However, due to having his legs in the water for so long, he got hypothermia in his left leg. The doctors suggested getting his leg amputated but he wanted to be a professional tennis player. So instead, he walked around the ship for 48 hours straight to get the blood flowing in his leg to cure the hypothermia. Years later he lived a prosperous life becoming a popular tennis player for Wimbledon.  

– Alex Cook

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