Titanic, James Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster film, gave the historical tragedy a romantic spin by depicting the star-crossed love tale of Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), but did Jack Dawson ever exist?

The RMS Titanic went down in the North Atlantic Ocean in the early hours of April 15, 1912. More than 1,500 of the 2,240 passengers and crew died when the ship collided with an iceberg and sunk within hours. Almost everyone has heard the story of the so-called “unsinkable ship,” which perished in freezing waters off the coast of Newfoundland while traveling from Europe to New York.

Jack Dawson was a gorgeous, good-natured artist who was destined to sail on the Titanic after winning two art competitions.

There is a grave with the number 227 and the name “J. Dawson” at Halifax’s Fairview Lawn Cemetery, where most of the Titanic’s victims are buried. It was simply another name, a headstone, and a footnote for years… until the 1997 blockbuster Titanic. After finalizing his Titanic script, James Cameron discovered the Halifax tombstone carved with the name of the film’s hero. Leonardo Di Caprio’s lovable character, Jack Dawson, broke more than the heart of his similarly imaginary girlfriend and first-class traveler, Rose DeWitt Bukater, played by Kate Winslet.

Modern females mourned for the young vagabonds, and their emotions blurred their senses of reality. The tombstone of “J. Dawson” at Halifax’s Fairview Cemetery became a significant tourist attraction and a focus point for adolescent emotion. Admirers captivated by the romantic narrative left flowers, cards, personal pictures, ticket stubs, and even… keys to a hotel.