In brief
Annette Dionne, the final living sister of the famous Canadian quintuplets, has died at age 91. The Dionne quintuplets, born in 1934, were the first known quintuplets to survive infancy and gained worldwide fame during their childhood. Annette's advocacy for children's rights and the preservation of their story remains significant, especially reflecting on their controversial upbringing, where they were exhibited as part of a government-sanctioned display. Annette's death marks the end of an era for a family that captivated the world.
Annette Dionne, the last surviving sister of the Canadian quintuplets, has died at 91, the Dionne Quints Home Museum has announced.
The five identical sisters, born in Ontario at the height of the Great Depression in 1934, were the first known quintuplets to survive past infancy.
They quickly became a global sensation during their childhood - starring in feature films, appearing on magazine covers, and endorsing products from toothpaste to syrup.
Much beloved, Annette had championed children's rights, the museum said in a statement announcing her death.
The museum added, She believed it was important to maintain the Dionne Quints Museum and the history it provides for the future of all children. The quintuplets were taken away from their parents by the Ontario government when they were infants and displayed in a compound dubbed Quintland, which was a popular tourist attraction.
Their parents later regained custody, and as adults, Annette, Cécile, and Yvonne sued the Ontario government for compensation over their upbringing, receiving nearly C$3m in a settlement in 1998.
Annette is survived by her memories as the last of the Dionne sisters, having seen her siblings—Yvonne in 2001, Marie in 1970, Émilie in 1954, and Cécile earlier this year—pass away.
