Dionne Quintuplets
I am reading a book set in the 1930s and 40s and it makes mention of the Dionne Quintuplets who were quite a hit in those days, so I wondered whatever happened to them?
The Dionne Quintuplets were born on May 28, 1934 in Corbeil, Ontario, Canada. They were the first quintuplets to survive infancy and are the only known identical quintuplets. The babies were born premature and the family consisted of five previous children as well. The parents were not well off and no one expected the girls to survive. The Ontario government stepped in and took custody of the girls. The government claimed that this would avoid exploitation, but the government soon found it could make millions from the girls. They were housed in a private nursery and cared for by nurses. visitors came twice a day to watch the girls play. Almost three million people came to view the girls from 1936 to 1943.
In 1943, the girls mother won custody of the girls and the whole family moved into a big mansion. Later the girls would claim sexual abuse by their father, and being treated unfairly with more chores and less privileges as the other children. Instead of being treated as individuals, the girls were often treated as one and dressed the same.
Two of the five are still living, Annette and Cecile (both married). Emilie died in 1954 as a result of suffocation. She was prone to seizures and had a seizure while her face was on a pillow. Unable to move her head, she suffocated. She was a postulant as a convent and the nun who was supposedly watching her had stepped away. Marie died in 1970 from a blood clot to her brain and Yvonne died in 2001 from cancer.
The girls wrote two books, We Were Five and Family Secrets, both out of print. In 1998, the Annette, Cecile and Yvonne accepted a deal from the Ontario government for $3 million for compensation for being exploited as children.
I still can over cant get over what these women went through.:( Its a very sad story.
beautiful! they are the most butiful little girls i have ever seen, and even as older adults still very very pretty!!
Wow. I’ve only come across the Dionne Quintuplets in my grade 11 course and didn’t think they were that significant. But to think that they really had such a miserable childhood! They look so innocent and pure as children, too. Sad, indeed.
there story is so sad and tragic omg. god bless the sisters that are liveing . 3 mil. not a nuff for what thay went true . lord have mercy on the ones that did this to these lil girls
what a sad, sad commentary on human value. my mom was born in 1932 and remembers the story well. she grew up to defend women’s rights, civil rights, children’s rights. my sister’s and i have a deep respect for all walks of life. as adults, we have a responsibilty to protect our children, our neighbor’s children and children world-wide. it is incomprehensible to fathom what these sisters endured, not to mention the impact it had on the other siblings.
i cant believe what these people did to the Dionne Quintuplets. There human being not animals for them to put them in a cage. They have rights like we do but i hope when they were growing up they realize what they did to the Dionne Quintuplets that the girls shouldnt do that to other people dont treat other people like that. Now your are still beautiful like you were in your childhood just keep on living your life
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This is a very sad story but a good story for people to realize and think that they shouldnt leave there kids with a stranger maniac to fight for there kids if its the last thing you have to do.
We touched on an advertising of Palmolive with them on it, but its only until now that I have done some reasearch. what terrible childhood, poor them. but they were adorible; always smilling, joyful and happy, but this is yet again a nother example that there is more than meets the eye.
the years before 1960 for especially girls sometimes boys were what todays called abusive. at age 8 up at 4am pick cherries then to the canning room to pit
cherries.
pull a sack on the shoulder to pick cotton at age 12.
whippings on the bare back of a 8 year old. work in hot summer sun
hoeing potatoes whipped to stop to get a drink used bible scripture to
control . then demand care of these abusive parents in old age.
boys were done no less the beatings the hunger the filth no tv no radio
no books no sheets on beds no underclothes for girls .
ragged dirty no electric no heat in winter no indoor water or toilet
animals put in sack thrown in creek to drown.
go to church and pray to not be so bad.
no refridgerator no bus service . dumped in bd. school made to work
for rm. and bd. not allowed girls to be educated.
put out soon as old enough law allowed.
hide from parents or wife hide from husband from abuse.
live on gravy and rice and biscuits and potatoes. made fun of by peers.
shoe soles full of holes. clothes passed down to girls that fit old women
clothes to big. moved every 3 months. afraid, hungry ignorant not keep up experiance wise with peers. every thing of the world was a sin.
severe guilt put on a child called carnal born bad. no medical care no dental care
not allowed to talk to boys afraid of males.
then asked to care for them in old age. inheritance stolen that was from grandma.
I have heard of worse stories, yes, but then again I have been researching the Dust Bowl and for a single child to live is wonderous. And five of them did. How nice.
Still, death I am used to. So much, so much. Still, a saddening story, yes. So glad two of them lived.
My great grandmother is the Dionne quintuplets cousin. So that makes me like their 4th cousin
My Mom, born in ‘21, was fascinated with the quints..she saved some newspaper articles about them dated 7/30/35 (Ventura County Star), 9/6/35 and one without a date but when they were about a year old. Anyone interested in them can contact me.
its sad to think what these innocent children went through. They say the eyes are the window to the soul and when i looked at a picture of these beautiful women in their older age, it astounds me at how sad they look. Their eyes have not changed since childhood. My heart aches for the lack of humanity, the lack of innocence allowed. How children are exposed, abused in all ways and in all eras. One writes above how aweful the dust bowl was, we should write how aweful the 21st century is. Neighbors ignoring neighbors. No formalities, manners, or personal touch. Internet, texting and “personal space” more often then needed. How a hug and quality time that these young women missed in their young age, our children miss because of work, tv, and the business of society. How abuse seems to us a normality back then, however neglect is a normalcy, children kidnapped out of their yards, abused by relatives, a “lock key” kids allowed to raise themselves and the bible is a swear no a days. there is not a better time now, its just different. And these dear women had a horrible part of it. If you read this Annette and Cecil. My heart is with you, and so are my prayers. The loss you have had through out your life thus far, no one should have to go through.
I was interested in the Dionne quints from the time I was very young, because of seeing article about them in a scrapbook that had been kept by my great-grandmother, which was kept in the attic of my grandparents’ home.
Something I have found interesting, but not seen much discussion of, is that when the girls were born, mothers from a fairly large area would donate their breast milk. This was shipped by train to the babies. At that time, infant formulas were very primitive, most consisting of watered down evaporated milk with corn syrup added. I believe the donated breast milk played a big role in allowing all five babies to survive the newborn period.
I also know that the odds were stacked especially high against these babies, because of the fact that four of them were part of two pairs of monoamniotic twins. That is where the babies not only share a placenta, but same amniotic sac. The death rate in undiagnosed monoamniotic twins is very high, because of the likelihood of the umbillical cords getting tangled and the circulation through them being cut off.
I have noticed that, although they looked identical as little girls, Emilie became easier and easier to pick out, by the time they reached puberty. Emilie was epileptic. I have wondered if the medication she was taking contributed to her developing the thicker eyebrows and larger features that set her apart from her sisters during the latter part of her life.
I hope the surviving sisters are well and enjoying life.
After my mother passes this last month (age 88) I found among her belongings a large 2″ thick scrapbook she kept full of clippings of the Dionnne Quints when they were babies. 100’s of pictures. I didn’t know anythiing was special about them before finding this book. It was heartbreaking to read about what they went through. It’s a wonder any of them had their sanity left. I hope the remaining sisters were/are able to find happiness. For my mother to keep such a large collection told me how important they were.
their story was very sad !
I have read about the Dionne Quints. Man!! I wish the goverments could have backed off about the Family situation. God blessed Oliva and Elzire with so many Kids and they are not well off , it doesnt matter well off or not. God still blessed them one way or other.
The girls were blessed to be alive and learn so much they can in thier short life like Emilie and Marie.. I surely hope that Annette and Cecile find thier happiness within themselves and Find good verses of Encouragement in Psalms and Proverbs to lift thier spirits up up up to reach God ’s throne.
As for Emilie , She is very well blessed and I know She wasnt ready to die but God took her home in his own timing and his purpose. but Im definately she in peace in his Heaven for 56 years. Here what I was thinking for few weeks what really caused her health messed up.
1. her mediciation need change doses or change medicine to reduced the swollening. reduced symtoms of Seizures.
2. For her weak heart, the doctor need to diagnosed more deeply with thier equipment to find where and how this caused. Doctor should have gave her some remedies like Fish Oil, Omega 3, Vitamin D for her strength, B12 and B6 to adjusting her femine side and strength to build up. ( If she ever lived today, she could have recieved pacemaker..)
3. She couled have eat more healthier meals due of her heart and seizures ..
4. Never NEVER NEVER leave a person alone while he or she are into seizures attack !!! they need help to prevent falling , hitting by the objects or objecte fall onto them, etc. its dangerous !
5. a Person should have “hold” her or his tonque to prevent swollowing or bite…
6. NEVER NEVER leave a Pillow or blanket while he or she were shaking.. remove it and give them room and hold thier head gently. and talk to them to let them know that you are with him or her ..
7. while seizure , unbutton thier shirt to loosed it up or PJ , take it off. doesnt matter if its naked or not. its better loosen then being choked.
8.after seizures, give him or her thier medicines right away and call the doctor or take him or her to E.R for further check up to be srue thier body is ok.. change medicine if its nessacarily to reduced adn have a better treatment to cut down seizures..
Putting Emilie in old people Coveant or resting home. its wrong place for her. see what happen the Nun failed her ! they were not there when she need them. She could have stayed at her parentss home . Oliva and Elizure done a good job watched over her for years. especiall y with her sibilings to help out. I dont trust Nuns. !!! they are devoted God but nothing else. thats stupid. !
Thanks for read this and I hope you all can learned this lessons for future references for others to save life… God bless you.
Thier stories are extremely sad and very unfortuanate.
Yvonne, Annette and Cecile were larger babies. for Emilie and Marie were smallest due of lack from Umbical Cord and thats what caused them to live shorter life. becaue back then there was no Ultrasound to find the problem and fix it before it was too late.
I just found out that Emilie was very sick for very long time since she was 12 years old until She was 20 years old. her life ended due of SUDEP. ( Sudden Death Epilisptic ….) It was her time to go. its very heartbreaking about her situation. I wish someone was there to save her life.. thats pissed me off.
May God bless Annette and Cecile and keep them in good Well being and protect them
Dawn
My heart broke at this great tragedy that occurred to innocent children… for on both sides of this fence were two men who seemed to have dollars signs gleaming in their eyes, and the whole world forgot that these were just babies, little girls with feelings and a need to belong or just to be loved.
It was a great injustice, and I sincerely pray God bless Annette and Cecile.
Tammy