Soon after arriving in New York, most of the Inuit contracted the disease tuberculosis. Three adults and one child died, including Minik's father. A fourth adult survived and was returned to Greenland. Minik was the only one left. William Wallace, the curator of the museum, adopted Minik. Minik pleaded for a proper Inuit burial for his father. The museum staff wanted to preserve Qisuk's body for study. They made a fake body and put it in a coffin. They staged a fake burial so that Minik would think he was burying his father.