By Canadian Press

Photo Gallery: The Dionne quintuplets

Aug 2, 2025 | 1:45 PM

Cécile Dionne, one of the world-famous Dionne quintuplets, died on Monday, July 28, 2025, at the age of 91 following a long illness, a family spokesperson confirmed.

Cécile and her sisters became an instant global sensation from the moment of their birth in the Ontario community of Corbeil on May 28, 1934, as they became the first quintuplets known to survive past infancy.

Carlo Tarini, a spokesperson of the family, confirmed the death and told The Canadian Press that Cécile died early Monday morning.

“She lived her life with quiet dignity, exemplary discretion, and gentle humour, despite the hardships of a childhood lived in the public eye,” reads an obituary Tarini shared.

Cécile weighed less than two pounds when she was born and dealt with osteoporosis and other ongoing health problems related to her premature birth. She also fought COVID-19 twice, Tarini said.

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“She was not just a survivor, she was a real fighter. She showed remarkable strength of character,” Tarini said in an interview Friday.

The Dionne quintuplets were hailed as a salve to the gloom of financial austerity at the peak of their Depression-era fame — but the sisters said the attention came at a personal cost.

Cécile and her sister Annette, who is now the last remaining quintuplet, spoke to The Canadian Press in 2019 and said parents should view childhood as a precious time that shouldn’t be exploited for profit.

Here is a look back at the quintuplets in photos.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025.

The Canadian Press