Jason Maddox films the MIR submersible as its lowered into the Atlantic Ocean at the Titanic wreck site 450 miles off the shore of Newfoundland.

By Erika Usui

Seeing the Titanic wreckage is a rare experience – more people have climbed Mount Everest in a day than have seen the site first hand. But in August 2005, Tom Maddox, the father of Jason Maddox ('01), made the 2.5-mile plunge and became one of fewer than 100 people to see in person the ship's wreckage on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.   On the surface, the younger Maddox was aboard the research vessel to film the expedition.

"I have always wanted journalism to take me around the world and to help me be a part of a much larger life, and it has," Jason Maddox said.             

Maddox said he and his father became part of the expedition through Mar-Vel International, their family-owned business that supplies equipment for extreme environments and military special-operations units. They decided to sponsor the Titanic expedition led by their close friend and maritime lawyer David Concannon. Tom Maddox, a shipwreck expert, reached the Titanic in a Russian-owned MIR 2 submersible, his son said.

"Keeping in the spirit of my CU journalism background, I became a part of the expedition to film and document this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Maddox said. "Since then, I have been inducted into the world-renowned The Explorers Club and have put together my footage for future documentaries and seminars. I am already planning my next adventure so that I can document and capture extraordinary things and share them with the world."

Also on the expedition were personnel from The History Channel, which helped to create the documentary, "Titanic's Final Moments: Missing Pieces."  jmaddox@mar-vel.com