Late 1911 brought Douglas and his to Algiers on the Caronia. With him came his nurse, Elizabeth Burns, who he called "Muddie Brown" because he had trouble saying her name. From Algiers, they went first to Monte and Carlos and then Paris. At the end of their European holiday, in April of 1912, the group boarded the Titanic in Cherbourg to go home. Douglas and Muddie Brown stayed in cabin E-40.

After the collision, Douglas was woken by Muddie who told him they were going on a "trip to see the stars." The group then made their way to the starboard side and boarded lifeboat 3. After all the available women and children were boarded, the men were allowed to join their families.

In 1913, Douglas's mom wrote and illustrated a storybook for Douglas about their European travels, the sinking of the Titanic, and their rescue. The story was told through the eyes of a toy bear and was called "My Story."

August 6, 1915, brought nine year old Douglas into another disaster when he was hit by a car on Grindstone Neck, Winter Harbour, near the family's summer camp in Maine. It was the first recorded car accident in the state. Douglas died later that day from the concussion he received and was buried in New York City.