It was only on Monday afternoon, when the parents were gathered at the school, that the news came that five of their children were dead. The father explained that the boy who survived was the smallest student in the party; maybe the others (two women leaders, four girls and one boy) had been huddling round him to protect him from the cold
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/413371.Worldwalk
The book in question. He was housed by over 400 families while on his walk.
Did the families take turns, or did they all walk with him?
Their bodies formed the structure which housed him.
On that sombre note:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairngorm_Plateau_disaster