Current:Home > MarketsPaul-Henri Nargeolet's stepson shares memories of French explorer lost in OceanGate sub tragedy -FinanceMind
Paul-Henri Nargeolet's stepson shares memories of French explorer lost in OceanGate sub tragedy
View
Date:2025-04-13 23:16:57
French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet was one of five passengers who died aboard the Titan submersible, which the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed on Thursday experienced a "catastrophic implosion" near the wreckage of the Titanic.
John Paschall, stepson of Nargeolet, spoke to CBS New York just hours after the Coast Guard reported that it had discovered two debris fields on the sea floor which were pieces of the missing OceanGate sub.
Paschall, who is also the son of late CBS New York anchor Michele Marsh, said Nargeolet was known affectionately as "Mr. Titanic" due to his expertise on the doomed cruise ship.
"We focus so much on everything he did in the water, but I feel like some of his greatest accomplishments, too, were out of the water," Paschall said. "I understand that in life it is sometimes not easy to be a stepfather, when you are coming into a situation where my father was still in the picture and I had a great relationship with him, but he was always so respectful of my relationship with him and he was such an important part of my life.
Nargeolet was the director of underwater research for RMS Titanic, an American company that owns the salvage rights to the wreck and operates exhibits featuring artifacts from the ship. About 30 million people have visited its exhibits, according to the company.
In an interview with CBS News this week, G. Michael Harris, founder of RMS Titanic, said that he has worked with Nargeolet for the past 30 years, describing him as an "all-around good guy."
"We first met in my freshman year of high school," Paschall said. "I remember the first thing he did for me that was so meaningful was he helped me with a science project on the building of a cell and creating a model of it, and I ended up getting an 'A' on it. Science is now my favorite subject, and it was one of those things where he never forced any help. I went and asked and he just did it."
- What we know about the tourist sub that disappeared on an expedition to the Titanic wreck
Nargeolet leaves behind a wife and three other children. Paschall said it was rewarding to have his stepfather be part of his young son's life, if only for a short period of time.
"I was very happy that we were able to have that meeting occur," Paschall said. "My son was born early in 2022, in January, and to be able to have that moment with him, to have him hold him, meant a lot. P-H has just meant a lot to me, my family. He had such a close relationship with my mom. It was so meaningful to me in so many ways growing up."
- What to know about the 5 passengers who were on the Titanic sub
Paschall said he can take solace in the fact that his stepfather died doing what he loved — exploring and being an adventurer.
"Yeah, I think in my own opinion his home away from home was the ocean. He just felt so comfortable there," Paschall said. "I know so much of the focus of this discussion is about risk, and I felt he just accepted the risk and knew what it was, but he loved what he did. The Titanic meant so much to him, every artifact he brought up, whether it was small or it was large, meant so much to him."
The other four people aboard the sub — which went missing Sunday, less than two hours into its dive — were British businessman Hamish Harding, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his teenage son Suleman, and OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush.
- In:
- RMS Titanic
- Atlantic Ocean
Dana Tyler anchors CBS2 News at 6 p.m. She joined WCBS-TV in 1990 as weekend co-anchor and reporter.
Twitter FacebookveryGood! (77715)
Related
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- Former employee of Virginia Walmart files $20 million lawsuit against retailer
- Invasive catfish poised to be apex predators after eating their way into Georgia rivers
- Thousands of Las Vegas hospitality workers vote to authorize strike
- Intel's stock did something it hasn't done since 2022
- Senior Baton Rouge officer on leave after son arrested in 'brave cave' case
- Remains found in 1996 identified after New Hampshire officials use modern DNA testing tech
- Muscogee Nation judge rules in favor of citizenship for slave descendants known as freedmen
- 'Malcolm in the Middle’ to return with new episodes featuring Frankie Muniz
- Retail theft, other shrink factors drained $112B from stores last year
Ranking
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- Travis King, the U.S. soldier who crossed South Korea's border into North Korea, is back in U.S.
- Authors discuss AR-15’s history from LA garage to cultural lightning rod
- Powerball jackpot at $850 million for Sept. 27 drawing. See Wednesday's winning numbers.
- Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback
- Traffic deaths declined 3.3% in the first half of the year, but Fed officials see more work ahead
- 'Candelaria': Melissa Lozada-Oliva tackles cannibalism and yoga wellness cults in new novel
- Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay takes subtle shot at Jets quarterback Zach Wilson
Recommendation
Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
7 corpses, 5 bags of body parts found scattered around Mexican city after acts of disloyalty within cartel
Macron proposes limited autonomy for France’s Mediterranean island of Corsica
California man pleads guilty to arranging hundreds of sham marriages
The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
2 found dead after plane crash launched massive search
Kellie Pickler's Late Husband Kyle Jacobs Honored at Family Memorial After His Death
Dozens of people arrested in Philadelphia after stores are ransacked across the city