 His wife died five days later, leaving 10-year-old Ellen and 14-year-old Maggie orphans. Many died and many others suffered from frozen limbs, among them the Pucelle girls, both having badly frozen feet and legs. When shoes and stockings were removed from the girls' feet, the skin came off. Although Maggie's legs were frozen, she would not allow them to do more than scrape the flesh off the bones. But Ellen's feet were so badly, so bad they had to be amputated just below the knees.