Titan: The OceanGate Disaster has landed on Netflix, retelling the events of the 2023 submersible tragedy that killed five passengers on a journey to the Titanic wreck.
After the Titan lost contact on June 18, 2023, the news sparked theories and speculation across the globe. Following days of searching, the vessel was found to have imploded from the pressure of the surrounding waters.
At the center of the disaster was OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, a man many accused of prioritizing ambition over safety, and one of the five passengers killed that day.
While the new documentary dives deep into his controversial legacy, one figure barely mentioned is his wife and longtime partner in his ventures, Wendy Weil Rush.
Where is Wendy Weil Rush now?
Since the Titan submersible disaster, Wendy Weil Rush has largely retreated from the public eye. It’s believed she’s still living in Seattle, Washington, where she resided with Stockton before his death.
Wendy and Stockton Rush got married in 1986, having met while studying at Princeton University. Before the incident, she had been publicly listed on her now-deleted LinkedIn profile as OceanGate’s director of communications and an expedition team member.
Documents filed with the State of Washington list Stockton as the treasurer and Wendy as the director and president of the OceanGate Foundation, the firm’s nonprofit wing.
However, with OceanGate suspending all exploration and commercial operations just weeks after the Titan implosion, it remains unclear whether she continues to have any active business interests tied to it.
As is revealed in the documentary, the company formally shut down operations in July 2023, stating on its website that it was ceasing all ventures.
Wendy’s net worth was reported as being $2.25 million in 2023, while Stockton’s was estimated to be between $12-15 million. However, there are questions about how legal battles and the company’s closure have impacted the Rush estate.
In 2024, Richard Ortoli – acting as administrator of the estate of French Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, one of the men killed aboard Titan – filed a lawsuit against multiple parties.
These include OceanGate Inc., the estate of Stockton Rush, and other associated manufacturers and subcontractors involved in building the Titan, accusing them of vessel unseaworthiness, wrongful death, negligence, liability, and pre-death pain and suffering.
According to the complaint, Wendy is named as the personal representative of her late husband’s estate, meaning she could be the legal party responsible for handling any claims against it.
As of June 2025, this lawsuit has not been reported as settled, suggesting it may still be active – and any financial implications could involve Wendy, depending on how the Rush estate is handled.
Wendy Weil Rush descendent of Titanic passengers
NetflixOne of the biggest talking points surrounding Wendy is that she has direct ancestral ties to the Titanic. She is the great-great-granddaughter of Isidor and Ida Straus, two prominent first-class passengers who died when the Titanic sank in 1912.
Isidor was a co-owner of Macy’s department store, and he and his wife became symbols of devotion when they famously refused to be separated during the evacuation of the ship, choosing to remain and die together.
Their story was immortalized in James Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster Titanic, where they appear briefly in one of the film’s most emotional scenes, lying in bed and holding each other as water rushes into their cabin.
Stockton has an equally notorious lineage. As is revealed in the new Netflix documentary, he could trace his ancestry back to two signers of the Declaration of Independence: Benjamin Rush and Richard Stockton.
Wendy’s thoughts on and involvement in the Titan disaster have sparked speculation, with one commentator writing on Reddit, “She will stay quiet for as long as possible, as commanded by her lawyers. With so many countries involved, the whole thing could take many, many years to make it to court.”
Others suggested she may not have the money to defend herself if that case continues, but one replied, “Her family is rich. So is Rush’s. They are likely connected. I would [not] be surprised if she has a family friend who does this at a ‘discount.’”
NetflixAnother added, “She’s literally related to Isidor and Ida Strauss. Her family is f**king loaded,” while a third wrote, “Her family literally owns Macy department stores. She’s more than fine.”
Where are their children now?
Wendy and Stockton Rush had two children together – Richard “Ben” and Quincy Rush – but both have maintained a low public profile in the wake of the disaster.
Richard followed in his father’s footsteps by studying in the mechanical engineering field, and even built a robotic arm for submersible vehicles for his thesis. According to the Daily Mail, as of 2023, he’s working as a pilot in Washington.
Their daughter, Quincy Rush, entered the legal world, previously working as a Law Clerk at the United States District Court in the Central District of California. Reports state that she is based in Los Angeles and married Daniel Lee in 2019.
Titan: The OceanGate Disaster is streaming on Netflix now. For more documentary news, read about Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy, where James Reyes is now, the one complaint true crime fans have about JCS’ new video.
