A/N: This is a story for Thomas Andrews Jr.'s birthday.
b. February 7, 1873; d. April 15, 1912 (approx.. 2:20 AM)
"She may be mine on paper; but in the eyes of God, she belongs to Thomas Andrews…" –Bruce Ismay (Titanic 1997)
Thomas Andrews Jr., Shipbuilder, is not a name commonly thought of when the subject Titanic comes into play. 100 years ago, America, England, France, Ireland, German , and many other homelands lost loved ones. Thomas Andrews was among them.
A brilliant man, Thomas Andrews was. He had a wife whom he loved and a daughter whom had never really met him. One, at the time, Elba [Elizabeth Law Barbour Andrews] lost a father; Helen [Barbour] Andrews lost a husband; Thomas Andrews and Eliza Andrews lost a son; Europe lost a wonderful man.
Today, February 7th, 2012 marks the 139th birthday of Thomas Andrews. As I write this, I can't help but think that a man—an idol of mine, was born 125 years before myself, and just yesterday I thought how lucky I was that my idol's 139th birthday was a day after mine, but this isn't about me.
No, it's not about me.
This is about a shipbuilder whom had died a man.
A man died, brave and loyal.
He built the Titanic, and when the dream fell apart (no pun intended) he stayed loyal; he was brave.
He was loyal because he refused to leave the ship after everyone told him he had the chance. Brave because he gave up his life in guilt and went down with something beautiful.
Not a day goes by that I don't wish I could have been on that ship and met him. Thomas Andrews Jr. died a man true to his ship; true to his passengers; true in the eyes of God.
I wish Thomas Andrews could see this. This is my note to him. This is my note that will never reach a true man's eyes, nor his ears, nor even his presence, but in spirit, may it.
I was born in the wrong time period, I think. I feel like Thomas Andrews is a man I should have met but did not.
Thomas Andrews Jr., Passengers on Titanic, and Titanic itself…
May you rest in peace.
R.I.P. and Happy 139th Birthday
THOMAS ANDREWS JR.
b. February 7, 1873; d. April 15, 1912
Sincerely,
~RikkiChadwick2011, and her loyal readers