Marianne Aanstad (pictured bottom left) was on board the Eastland attending the Western Electric employee picnic with her two daughters, Borghild and Solveig, and her brother Olaf, a Western Electric employee. As Marianne and her family boarded the Eastland, she had an uneasy feeling come over her, saying that "she did not like the feel of the ship." Originally from Norway and having previous experience with many different boats, she had an understanding of boats and their stability in the water.
Marianne and her family were on the starboard side of the Eastland when it rolled over into the Chicago River. They were thrown into the water, but were in a compartment where there was air. They could see the sky above them through the portholes. Marianne was able to keep herself afloat until being rescued from the water several hours later.