Who was Stockton Rush?
Stockton Rush was an American businessman and engineer, best known as the co-founder and CEO of OceanGate, a deep-sea exploration company. He had a passion for aviation and aquatics since childhood, and dreamed of becoming an astronaut and the first person on Mars. He was also a descendant of two signers of the Declaration of Independence, Richard Stockton and Benjamin Rush.
Stockton Rush died on June 18, 2023, along with four others, in a tragic accident during an attempt to visit the wreck of the Titanic in OceanGate’s Titan submersible. He had stated that the submersible was safe, despite its rule-defying construction. “At some point, you’re going to take some risk, and it really is a risk-reward question,” Stockton said on CBS News Sunday Morning. “I think I can do this just as safely by breaking the rules.”
Who are the Rush Stockton kids?
Stockton Rush and his wife, Wendy Weil Rush, shared two children, Richard ‘Ben’ and Quincy, who appear in a photo on Wendy’s Facebook page. Both of them inherited their father’s intelligence, curiosity, and adventurous spirit.
Richard, like his father, mother, grandfather, and great-grandfather, attended Princeton University. He graduated in 2011, building a robotic arm for submersible vehicles for his thesis. He later worked as a venture capitalist, a subsea robot engineer, and a pilot. He also explored underwater wrecks with his father and posted photos of them on social media.
Quincy earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 2020. She is currently a judicial law clerk in the United States District Court in the Central District of California. She also has a keen interest in music and art, and has performed in several concerts and exhibitions.
How are they coping with the loss of their father?
The Rush Stockton kids have not spoken publicly about their father’s death, but they have received an outpouring of support and condolences from their friends, family, and colleagues. They have also been praised for their resilience and courage in the face of such a devastating tragedy.
According to TheNetline, the family is no stranger to tragedy at sea. The Rush Stockton kids’ maternal ancestors, Isidor Straus and his wife, Ida, were among the people who died when the Titanic sank in 1912. The couple famously refused to be separated and chose to go down with the ship together.
The Rush Stockton kids have honored their father’s legacy by continuing to pursue their own dreams and passions. They have also expressed their gratitude for the life and love that their father gave them. As Quincy wrote on her Instagram account, “Dad, you were the best father anyone could ask for. You taught me so much, inspired me endlessly, and made me laugh every day. I miss you more than words can say, but I know you are always with me in spirit. I love you forever.”