““Louis and Lola” were Michel and Edmond Navratil, four and two. They were known as the Titanic Orphans – the only children rescued without a parent or guardian.
“After Titanic’s collision, their father placed Michel and Edmond in the last lifeboat successfully launched from the ship. Michel later claimed to remember his father telling him: “My child, when your mother comes for you, as she surely will, tell her that I loved her dearly and still do. Tell her I expected her to follow us, so that we might all live happily together in the peace and freedom of the New World.”.
“M. Navratil died during the sinking. Since the children were toddlers and spoke no English, they could not identify themselves. French-speaking first-class passenger Margaret Hays cared for the boys at her home until their mother, Marcelle, could be located, which occurred as a result of newspaper articles including their pictures. Marcelle sailed to New York City, New York and was reunited with her sons (below) on May 16, 1912.”
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All images from the Library of Congress