Enid Woman's Relatives Survived Titanic

As we near the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, an Oklahoma family is reflecting on the tragedy. An Enid woman's family was aboard the ship and lived to tell the dramatic story.

We all know the whirlwind love story of Jack and Rose. In the Hollywood drama, Jack dies, but Rose lives on, and so did Elizabeth and Mary Lines, two relatives of Enid resident Debra Lines. Now she's Debra Carpenter, but she realized her connection to the Titanic by watching the billion-dollar blockbuster film.

"On the first movie they said Mr. Lines and my ears perked up because Lines is an unusual name," Carpenter said.

When the movie was released in 1997, Google was not around to help Carpenter find what she was looking for. But finally, eight years ago, she discovered the Lines women were aboard the ship. 

"We had to do a lot of research at the library and a lot of digging and trying to find all this," Carpenter said.

Elizabeth and her daughter, Mary Lines, were given a life-saving spot on one of the 20 boats that floated away from the sinking ship.

Carpenter provided a copy to the Titanic museum in Branson, Missouri. She will attend the centennial anniversary.

"It's enjoyable. I can't wait to go and hopefully the picture I gave will be up on the wall. I am…proud," she said.

The Lines were in the first-class cabin, like the lead character Rose. The cost of a first class ticket on the Titanic was about $4,500. Today, that would be more than $50,000.

And the family tradition will continue. Carpenter's daughter will get married at the Titanic museum in Branson this fall.