Three big star names from the Titanic blockbuster have each donated $10,000 to a fund to secure the future of Millvina Dean, the last living survivor of the legendary liner disaster of 1912. Leonardo di Caprio, Kate Winslet and Titanic movie producer James Cameron have all donated to the fund which was set up after it emerged that Miss Dean (97) was trying to raise money to pay her nursing home fees by selling off family memorabilia. Aged just nine weeks at the time of the 1912 disaster, she was the youngest survivor after being handed into a lifeboat in a sack, but it was many years before she became aware of her involvement as her mother never spoke of what happened following the death of her father on the sinking liner.
Writer Don Mullan is hoping to raise €50,000 for the new fund by selling 100 limited edition photographs of Miss Dean signing a card for an autograph hunter. The photographs themselves are signed by Miss Dean and are selling for €500 apiece, with all proceeds going towards the fund.
Another €10,000 was handed over yesterday to the fund on behalf of designer Ben de Lisi by his friend Paul Coughlan. Titanic Quarter Ltd, which is spearheading efforts to redevelop the area around the Drawing Office, also donated €1,000 yesterday.
Payments can be made via the fund website at www.themillvinafund.com or via the British Titanic Society or Belfast Titanic Society at www.belfast-titanic.com.
Source: Belfast Telegraph
