He may have been either the luckiest or unluckiest man alive. Perhaps he was both. Charles H. Lightoller kept getting in & out of life-threatening situations. As a young apprentice, the British native’s ship was badly damaged in a storm & repairs had to be made in the midst of a smallpox epidemic & political revolution. He was later shipwrecked on a deserted island. He served on a windjammer that had its cargo of coal catch fire. He came close to succumbing to malaria. His small boat capsized, killing four people & nearly drowning him. While standing on the bridge of a ship, he was almost struck by lightning. He later survived yet another shipwreck.
He was confident that things were now going to change. This was a new beginning. No more disasters for him. He had the honor of being named second officer of a magnificent ship for its maiden voyage. He brushed off his uniform, straightened his tie, and briskly walked up the gangway of the Titanic. As he did, he thought, “What could possibly go wrong?” He, unfortunately, was about to find out.