About the Titanic Guy

Hi! My name is Rafael Avila, but you may know me as Raf Avila or the Titanic Guy from TikTok!

I share fun facts and history about the Titanic, its passengers, and stories from that fateful night in April, 1912. Titanic is something that is near and dear to all those who have studied and read about her throughout the years. It is my goal to keep the memories of the Titanic alive to a new generation of historians and Titanic nerds!

I'm often asked: Raf, when did your obsession begin?

This is my story. When I was around 6 or 7 years old (circa 1996-1997) I was watching a documentary about a famous disaster. The show featured a forensic analysis of a large ship that sank. I asked my dad what it was about and he told me it was of a ship named Titanic, the largest the world had seen. A ship that was deemed "unsinkable" yet somehow sank in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. I was captivated. A few months later, James Cameron's 1997 film "Titanic" hit the big screens and I recognized the ship from that documentary I had seen. I somehow convinced my parents to take me (I was 7 years old at the time) to the theaters to watch the movie. I was hooked.

This sparked a lifelong obsession that persists to this day! I used to go to the public library and take out every single book I could find on the Titanic. I collected books, puzzles, and models.

Titanic has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I'm sure many of you share a similar story. I'm so happy to be able to share my passion with others who also share the same interests!

To those who have followed me from the very beginning, thank you! To those who are new to my social media Titanic accounts, welcome to the Titanic Nerd family!

Keep up with me on:

TikTok: @raf_avila
Instagram: @raf_avila and @titanic.guy
YouTube: Rafa Avila

You can also find me featured in the following articles!

The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/16/business/titanic-tiktok-misinformation.html

The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2023/06/21/titanic-wreck-history-public-obsession/

CBC News: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/titanic-anniversary-sinking-white-star-lines-1.6421729

Newsweek: https://www.newsweek.com/titanic-easter-egg-bruce-ismay-tiktok-video-1611392

Snopes: https://www.snopes.com/articles/357096/tik-tok-titanic-film/

And I'm featured in a brand new Tubi documentary about the Titanic!

Tubi Titanic Documentary: https://tubitv.com/movies/662130/mysteries-from-the-grave-titanic 

Find me on Famous Birthdays! https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/rafael-avila-tiktokstar.html 

Yours truly,

Titanic Guy - Raf Avila