Margaret Bechstein Hays

Margaret Bechstein Hays was born on December 6, 1887, and passed away on August 21, 1956. She is remembered because she was a passenger on the famous ship RMS Titanic. When the Titanic sank in the North Atlantic Ocean in 1912, Margaret showed great bravery and care.

She and her dog managed to survive by getting on lifeboat number 7. After the disaster, Margaret took two young children, known as the "Titanic Orphans," into her home in New York City. She looked after them until their mother was able to take them back. Her actions during and after the sinking show her kindness and strength in a very difficult time.

Rescue from the Titanic

Margaret Bechstein Hays was born on December 6, 1887. She was 24 years old when she boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg, France. She was traveling with two friends, Olive Earnshaw and Lily Potter. When the ship hit an iceberg on April 14, 1912, Margaret and her friends got ready and collected life jackets with the help of a friend, Gilbert Tucker.

Margaret, Olive, Lily, and Margaret's small dog got on lifeboat number 7, the first boat to be launched. They were later picked up by the ship RMS Carpathia. On the Carpathia, Margaret helped two boys who only spoke French by offering to care for them until they found their family. These boys were later identified as Edmond and Michel Navratil, who had been taken from their mother by their father, who sadly did not survive the disaster. After the rescue, Margaret helped care for the boys in New York until their mother arrived from Nice, France to take them home.