The Dionne sisters, born in 1934 in the Canadian province of Ontario, are the first quintuplets in history to survive infancy. They became a nationwide sensation, and the authorities treated them as a fantastic source of income. In the 1930s and 1940s, they "grossed" $ 500 million!
“We were shown like monkeys in a circus,” wrote the Dionne sisters in their memoirs many years later. There was no exaggeration in this statement, because to make it easier for onlookers to observe quintuplets, a special observation deck was built from which you could watch the girls' lives . In the 1930s, about 3,000 people gathered on the terrace every day. people.
A miraculous birth
Yvonne, Annette, Cecile, Emily and Marie Dionne were born on May 28, 1934 on a farm near Corbeil Village in Ontario. The girls' parents, Oliva-Édouard and Elzire, already had five children:three girls and two boys, the youngest of whom, Pauline, was only 11 months older than the quintuplets. Later (after the birth of the famous sisters) the spouses had three more sons.
While still pregnant, Elzire suspected that she might carry twins under her heart. The premature (seven months pregnant) birth of five babies was such a huge shock for the woman that a few hours after the birth of her last daughter she did not respond to any stimuli and lay completely motionless.
The Dionne family
When news of the unusual event spread around the area, women from nearby villages were brought to the Dionne home. They brought wicker baskets in which they put blankets and quilts, and then began to warm the girls with hot water bottles. After a few days, the family was supported by the Red Cross. The organization sent a nanny and an incubator. The device was outdated - it was 30 years ago - but in the house of the quintuplets' parents it was impossible to connect more modern equipment because ... there was no electricity.
Under the care of the state
The news about quintuplets became a nationwide sensation. Hardly anyone expected the children to survive. Interestingly, the girls immediately began to be treated as a group, not as individuals, which is perhaps best evidenced by the fact that doctors recorded only their total weight - 6.7 kg - and not the weight of each of them.
The organizers of the World Expo in Chicago got interested in the Dionne sisters and the mother (according to another version it was the father) signed a contract allowing her daughters to be shown in public . Interestingly, she was persuaded to do so by Dr. Defoe, who was giving birth to the child, and Father Daniel Routhier, the family's confessor.
The organizers of the World Show in Chicago became interested in the Dionne sisters
The Dionne's quickly came to their senses and wanted to withdraw from the contract, but it was too late - they were considered incapable of caring for quintuplets. Initially, they were cared for by the Red Cross, then they were taken over by the Canadian authorities. Already at the age of five months, the girls moved to a nine-room house that had been built for them opposite their family farm.
Luxurious prison
The Dionne sisters spent the first years of their lives in this tightly fenced estate. They were surrounded by 24/7 care of a doctor and nurses. They had their own pool, playground and bikes. “We lived in luxuries. It was a real paradise, but in nine years we were only allowed to leave the property a few times ”Annette Dionne recalled. The girls 'parents were unwelcome at their daughters' house. "We practically did not know our mother and our father," admitted the sisters years later.
The inhuman treatment of the sisters is evidenced by the fact that when rumors spread that they had fins instead of feet, a photo shoot was quickly arranged, during which all five appeared barefoot. A special observation deck was also built for those who wanted to observe the everyday life of quintuplets - it was enough to buy an admission ticket. It is estimated that in less than a decade, the "attraction" was visited by as many as 3 million people!
The authorities quickly saw the possibility of earning the popularity of girls - quintuplet dolls appeared, and the image of the sisters was found on napkins, postcards, key rings and packaging of various products. There were so many people willing to shop that there were as many as five souvenir shops in the area! Income from the sale of souvenirs and tickets was approximately $ 500 million . Much of this money was to be transferred to a trust fund that girls would be able to use when they reached the age of majority. As it turned out later, these were empty promises, because each of the sisters received only 170,000. dollars.
The authorities quickly saw the possibility of making girls popular
Meanwhile, Oliva-Édouard and Elzire fought to get their daughters back. They succeeded when the children turned 9 years old. Yvonne, Annette, Cecile, Emily, and Marie moved into a house built with ... the money they earned.
If the sisters counted on warm feelings from their loved ones, they quickly became disappointed. " We were not treated as children, but as servants and slaves ”Annette and Cecile insisted. "Unfortunately, the desire for profit turns people into monsters," added Annette. - " It was the worst house imaginable ”.
It is known that Oliva-Édouard and Elzire - like their previous caretakers - treated their daughters as a source of income. The girls were beaten by their mothers and molested by their fathers, who took their daughters for car rides in which he touched their private parts. Therefore, after their eighteenth birthday, Yvonne, Annette, Cecile, Emily and Marie moved out and severed all contact with their loved ones.
Tragic consequences
Despite leaving the family home, the sisters struggled with psychological problems. They were not prepared for adult life. Initially, they had problems, for example, with shopping, paying bills and distinguishing between banknotes.
The Dionne sisters, born in the Canadian province of Ontario in 1934, are the first quintuplets in history to survive infancy.
Emily became a nun and died at the age of 20. Marie was a librarian, she lived alone. At the age of 36, she died of a blood embolism in the brain. The other three sisters got married and gave birth to children, but in the 1990s (after their divorces) they moved in together again. In 2001, Yvonne passed away. Currently, only Annette and Cecile remain alive.