History Daily - The Birth of the Miracle Quintuplets

Episode Date: May 28, 2025

May 28, 1934. The Dionne quintuplets are born. The identical sisters are the first quintuplets to survive infancy, but the girls will face a childhood of exploitation as a tourist attraction. This episode originally aired in 2024. Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listening and more.History Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser.Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.

The The first-vacucus corvahsorvahsorvathed and arvaumattomattomptuptu-vah and you'll gettaeurovahe-a-fittoraheufiola. Lajitapiola, same part. It's June 1935 in the small village of Corbe, Ontario. From the upstairs window of his modest farmhouse, 31-year-old Oliva Dionne has a bird's-eye view of the crowd gathering across the street. They're hovering around the gates of a new bill.

building opposite Aliva's farmhouse, the Defoe Hospital and Nursery. Aleva shakes his head, a complex swirl of emotions running through him. A year ago, Corbeye was just a sleepy French-Canadian village, its inhabitants struggling through the Great Depression just like everyone else. Today, though, it's a lively tourist attraction known to the world as Quintland. Thousands of people flocked to the hospital each day, hoping to catch a glimpse of the miracle babies of Corbe, the five identical quintuplets born to Oliva and his wife, Elzeir. The gates of the hospital swing open, allowing a wave of admires onto the property.

This happens twice a day, and a few yards in, the crowd reaches a second fence that encircles the facility. This is as closed as most of them will get, and there's jostling among the tourists as they fight for the best view of the show that's about to begin. From his window, Oliva watches the doors to the hospital open. The crowd behind the fence grows quiet in anticipation as a nurse walks out onto the veranda holding up a one-year-old baby girl. Her name is Yvonne. And with some encouragement from the nurse, she shoots her, admires a smile and waves. Aliva flings open the window and leans out, hoping to catch his daughter's eye. But before he can even attempt to meet her gaze, the nurse churns sharply and carries Yvonne back to the nursery. As soon as she disappears inside, though,

an identical baby is brought out. This is another of Aliva's children, Annette. Aliva waves, desperate for the little girl to look in his direction. But she, too, doesn't see him. Neither do his other girls, Cecile, Emily, and Marie, who were all paraded along the veranda in quick succession. Watching crowd, coos and cheers, but Aleva doesn't. Unlike the tourists, he sees the Defoe Hospital not as a place of miracles and wonder,

but a prison that keeps him and his children apart. When the Dionne Quintuplets were born, the world was captivated by their very existence. As the first set of quintuplets known to survive infancy, they were hailed as real-life miracles. But it wasn't long before these miracles were exploited for financial gain, first by their parents and then by the Canadian government.

The abuse would continue for years, and the damage it did would linger, long after the miraculous birth of the five girls on May 28, 1934. From Noisor and Airship, I'm Lindsay Graham, and this is History Daily. History is made every day. On this podcast, every day, we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world.

Today is May 28, 1934, the birth of the miracle quintuplets. It's early on May 28, 1934, in the rural village of Corbe, Ontario. It's still dark when Dr. Alan Defoe rushes. out the door of his red brick house with his coat and medical bag in hand and jumps into his car. It's four in the morning, and Alan has just been informed that one of his patients, Elzeir Dion, has gone into labor two months prematurely. Alan's not surprised by the news. He checked on Elzeir just a couple of weeks ago and noted that she was suffering symptoms of what we now know as preeclampsia, which is typically characterized by high blood pressure

and fluid retention. It often leads to death. Given the severity of the situation, Alan gave Elzeir's strict orders to rest in bed. But as a mother of five young children already, that's not easy for 25-year-old Elzeir to do. Alan parks his car and bounds into the Dion family farmhouse. In the bedroom, at the very back of the house, two midwives hover over Elzeir. Sweat beads down her face as she struggles to catch her breath.

Just minutes earlier, she gave birth to two baby girls. But Alan has no time to check on them. Before the doctor can even properly wash her, his hands, Elzeir gives birth to a third baby girl. This one, though, doesn't seem to be breathing, and the midwives take swift action. They blow deep breaths into her tiny mouth, forcing air into her lungs. A few tense moments pass, but then finally the baby takes a breath and cries out. As the midwives wrapped the newest arrival in ripped up sheets, Alan notices Elzeir writhe in pain. He can't believe his eyes. The young mother is not done giving birth, but Elzear is losing strength by the

minute. Her pulse is weak and she can't push anymore. So Alan intervenes. He presses his hands against Elzear's swollen belly and helps push out a fourth baby. Two minutes later, he does the same for a fifth and final baby girl. Incredibly, Elzeer Dion has just given birth to quintuplets. The last two infants are still in their amniotic sacs, their little arms and legs, and floating eerily and translucent fluid. The sight momentarily transfixes Alan before he ruptures the sacks and then goes to work to get the girls breathing.

Combined, the five babies weigh less than 14 pounds, and their torsos are so small that they can fit in the palm of Alan's hand. He puts on a brave face, but he can't help feeling pessimistic. He's never heard of quintuplets surviving for long and doubts any of the girls will last the week. But that doesn't stop news of the Dionne Quintz,

spreading across the globe. Quintuplets occur roughly once in every 57 million births, so the newborns are viewed as miracles, especially now in the throes of the Great Depression, when everyone's desperate for some good news. Soon, generous benefactors and newspaper owners are sending gifts to the Dion family, some of them in exchange for exclusive rights to photographs of the babies. Life-saving incubators for the tiny girls arrive, and every day the train brings a fresh batch of breast milk donated by other nursing mothers eager to help. The girl's father, 30-year-old Oliva, is overwhelmed by it all. While he always wanted a big family, he never anticipated having this many babies at once. He, of course, wants his miracle quince to survive, but he can't

help worrying how he will feed and care for them all if they do. The meager salary Oliva makes as a gravel hauler barely makes a dent in the family's mounting bills, and it's not just food and clothes his new daughter's need, it's round-the-clock medical care. Oliva needs to make money and fast. Lucky for him, a lucrative opportunity is about to fall into his lap. Three days after the birth of the quince, Oliva is approached by a man named Ivan Spear. Ivan wants to display the Dion quintuplets at the Chicago's World Fair, and in exchange, he's promising to cover all the girls' medical expenses and provide Oliva with a weekly stipend, as well as a percentage of the ticket sales.

It's an incredible offer, more money than Oliva could ever imagine. But as he considers the contract, he hesitates. Oliva doesn't like the idea of his little girls in a glass cage being gawked at by curious spectators. Sensing Oliva's reluctance, Ivan assures him that the girls will be provided with every luxury. He even promises that Oliva's wife, Elzeir, will have the final say in all matters concerning the girl's well-being. Finally convinced, Oliva signs the contract. Within a day, the agreement leaks to the press. But instead of stoking excitement about the public debut of the miracle quince,

the stories written make Oliva look like a money-hungry opportunist. He and Alzir tried to defend their decision, but the damage is already done. Before long, it will seem like everyone in the world thinks that the Dianns are unfit parents. And calls will grow for the Canadian government to step in and take charge of the future care of the miracle babies of Corbe. It's May 24, 1935, in Corbe, Ontario, almost a year after the birth of the Dionne Quintuplets. The girl's mother, Elzeir Dion, leads her cousins who are visiting from Montreal through the gates of the newly built Defoe Hospital and Nursery. She spots her daughters, Yvonne, Annette, Cecil, Emily, and Marie napping in their carriages on the porch, and she's excited to introduce her little miracles to the family.

But as Elzear approaches the building, a nurse appears and orders her to stay back. Back. Visiting hours are over. Elzeir and her family protest, pleading for just a quick look at the girls. But the nurse stands her ground, insisting that rules are rules. Alzira and her guests will just have to return the next day during regular visiting time. Two months ago, Canada passed the quintuplet guardianship act. It made the Dion girls wards of the state until they reached the age of 18. The doctor who delivered them, Alan Defoe, was appointed as one of their guardians and under his supervision, the girls were removed from the family home and relocated across the street to the newly erected Defoe Hospital and Nursery. Now, Elzeir and her husband Oliva have to adhere to strict protocols. To even see their children, they must ring a bell at the hospital gate and be escorted in by guard.

Once inside, they are never left alone with the quintuplets and are only allowed limited physical contact. All of these rules make Elzeir feel more and more disconnected from her daughters, and she starts to question her role in their lives. Over time, the anguish of witnessing others care for her children becomes unbearable. When the girls turn one, Alzir does not participate in their birthday parties. But little Yvonne, Annette, Cecil, Emily, and Marie don't notice her absence. They're too young to know any different.

The staff at the Defoe Hospital and Nursery are their primary caregivers now, and they treat the girls like princesses. They're dressed in the finest clothes, have plenty of toys, to play with and get all the professional medical care that money can buy. But this royal treatment will come at a cost. And in the summer of the next year, 1936, the now two-year-old Dion quintuplets are outside in the hospital's playground, romping around in a waiting pool. But they are alone. Their playground is surrounded by one-way glass. The infants can't see them, but on the other side of the glass is a specially built observatory where hundreds of people are watching them play.

The quintuplets have become a tourist attraction, complete with hot dog stands and gift shops. Thanks chiefly to the government of Ontario. Each day, weather and health permitting, the children may be seen without charges of any kind. And an ingenious system has been devised whereby the visitors are not seen by the quintuplets. Twice a day, crowds push their way inside the observatory to witness these real-life miracles. They watch the girls riding their tricycles or playing in the sandpit. They're completely ordinary feats for young children, yet the spectators can't help but be amazed. The world is still scarred by the Great Depression and seems to find some solace in the existence of the quintuplets.

And over the next few years, the girls' popularity only skyrockets, leading to lucrative endorsement deals from companies like Quaker Oates and Cairo Quiro Corn Syrup. They receive visits from Hollywood celebrities like Betty Davis, Greta Gartagher. and Clark Gable. They are even received by real British royalty during King George the 6th and Queen Elizabeth's trip to Toronto. The girl's father, Oliva, is incensed. The Canadian government has essentially done what they accused Oliva and Alzir of doing, exploiting the children for monetary gain. Admission to the observatory may be free, but the quints are still bringing in millions to the province of Ontario. Oliva has his own souvenir shop, trying to grab a slice of the pie, but it's done.

Dr. Alan Defoe, who's the one benefiting most from endorsement deals. By the summer of 1939, the girls are five years old, and Oliva has had enough. He threatens to take Alan to court for the money he's made from his daughters. Perhaps fearing public backlash, Alan resigns his position as the girls' guardian and advocates for the Dion family to be reunited. And in January, 1940, Oliva and Al-Zir Dion will finally regain legal custody of their daughters. Plans will be set in motion to build a home large enough for the entire Deon family to live in, but this will be no happy homecoming because Yvonne, Annette, Cecil, Emily, and Marie will be rejoining a family they never knew.

It's November 17, 1943, in Corbe, Ontario, almost four years after Oliva and Alzir Dion regained custody of their daughters. Nine-year-olds Yvonne, Annette, Cecil, Emily, and Marie Dion sit uncomfortably at a large dinner table, beside their mother and father and their seven other siblings. Earlier today, the girls made the 100-yard journey from the Defoe Hospital and Nursery to what the girls will come to know as the big house. It's a monstrous Georgian-style mega-manion with 19 rooms and nine bathrooms, all constructed for their homecoming. But the girls are unsettled, overwhelmed by the size of the house

and unsure how to navigate the people inside. Before they start their meal, they listen as their father Aleva, tells them that they should no longer think of themselves as a set of quints. In fact, they are no different from their siblings sitting beside them at the table. And as such, the girls will be expected to do chores like everyone else, and if they disobey, they will face consequences like everyone else. It's a lot for the sisters to digest. Everything about life with their real family is new to them

and proves harder than they expected. Their mother, Elzer, reprimands the quince for every little infraction, but unfortunately that's soon the least of the girls' worst. worries. When they become teenagers, Oliva starts sexually assaulting his daughters. The girls seek help from their priest and the nuns at their Catholic school, but no one takes action to stop the abuse. So as Yvonne, Annette, Cecil, Emily, and Marie navigate their adolescent years, they grapple with overwhelming feelings of anxiety, shame, and guilt. They dream of escaping from the big house, which they do as soon as they turn 18. For the most part, the quince then go on to live fairly

unremarkable lives, at least when compared to their unusual beginnings. Decades later, though, in 1998, one of Cecile's sons launches a campaign to ensure his mother and aunts are compensated for their exploitation as children. The government turned a tidy profit from the girls, and when the world rediscovers their story, there's plenty of support for their cause. With public scrutiny over the case mounting, the Premier of Ontario agrees to pay the quintuplets a total of $4 million in compensation. It's a win that comes too late for two of the sisters, though. Emily died at the age of 20 from a seizure, and her sister Marie was just 35 when she suffered a fatal blood clot in the brain.

The childhood of all five girls was cruel and exploitative. But with time, there comes healing and perspective. In August of 2018, the two surviving quintuplets, Cecile and Annette, returned to the place where they were born to be honored by the Canadian government. on the old family farmhouse is now a plaque commemorating the historical significance of the Dion Sisters' lives as the first recorded quintuplets to ever survive infancy after their birth on May 28, 34. Next on History Daily, May 29, 1945, a Dutch artist is arrested for illegally selling a priceless Vermeer to the Nazis, and his only hope of avoiding execution is to convince prosecutors it's a forgery he painted himself. From Noisor and Ayrship, this is History Daily, hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsay Graham, audio editing by Mohamed Shazim, sound designed by Matthew Filler, music by Throne.

This episode is written and researched by Jane O, edited by Joel Call. Managing producer Emily Burke. Executive producers are William Simpson for Airship and Pascal Hughes for Noiser.