Don Mullan Talks to Millvina Dean

"I first met Millvina Dean at a HMS Titanic Convention in Southampton in 1997 with my children. It was my eldest daughter Therese's fascination with the James Cameron's movie 'Titanic' that brought us there. From the moment we met Millvina, there was an instant friendship. In recent years Millvina asked me to help her write her memoir. With the assistance of Therese we had travelled back and forth from Dublin to Southampton over the past two years, sometimes alone, sometimes together.

Sadly, our project was not complete when Millvina passed away. What we loved about Millvina was her sense of fun and childlike nature. She was an intelligent woman, alert, articulate and fiercely independent. We loved spending time with her for she had a great gift of making people she met feel special and loved. In answer to our question, "What is the secret of your happiness" she answer, "You need only two things. A sense of humour and a kind hear."

Millvina loved reading and gardening and spoke with great affection about the little birds that visited the feeding trays she had constructed in her front and back gardens.

Following an accident in 1995 she was moved to a nursing home. Her bedroom there was filled with things that were important to her: photographs of Titanic related trips she took abroad with her faithful companion Bruno; fresh flowers brought by her many friends; two cuckoo clocks; bundles of fan mail from around the world; and a wonderful collection of teddies, cloth dolls and toy animals.

One day she took great delight in showing Therese and me two little singing puppies who performed 'I've Got You Babe'. She called them 'Sonny and Cher' after the American singing duo who had a number-one hit with the song in 1965. Her obvious delight and innocence was such I immediately began to record the moment on my Nokia N95 mobile phone.

I dedicate this video to everyone who knew and loved Millvina. I hope it brings a sparkle to their eyes and warmth to their heart. I also hope that those seeing this for the first time will come to understand why Millvina Dean was so loved and revered by those who knew her.

Millvina died an old and fulfilled woman but she retained, right until the end, a young spirit with the most beautiful childlike nature. Please enjoy this treasured memory of Millvina Dean. It is my hope that in the months and years ahead we will begin to create a life-giving memorial to the baby of the Titanic, supporting the valiant work of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. There could be no greater way of keeping Millvina's spirit alive.

"God Bless You Millvina Dean. All who knew and loved you are filled with gratitude for the privilege of encountering your life. And we are especially grateful to your dear father Bertram who sacrificed his own life to save you, your brother Vere, and your dear mother Georgette." - Don Mullan