CELINE DION has been a much-loved star for decades, and has millions of fans around the world.
As she takes to the stage for the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics, find out more about her late husband René Angélil.
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Who was Celine Dion’s husband, René Angélil?
Celine Dion and René Angélil got married in 1994.
Like his wife, René also had a career in the entertainment industry as a musical producer, talent manager, and singer.
He was born on January 16, 1942, in Montreal, Canada, and later died on January 14, 2016, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The pair first met in 1980, when Celine was only 12 years old. At the time, he invited her to audition after he was sent a tape of her singing.
After that, he began to manage her career and even mortgaged his house to finance her first album in 1981.
When Celine was 18, they then began a personal relationship, despite a 26-year age gap, and tied the knot eight years later.
Before his marriage to Celine, he was married to Denyse Duquette from 1966-1972 and to singer Anne Renée from 1974-1980.
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What was René Angélil’s cause of death?
René passed away two days before his 74th birthday following a battle with throat cancer.
“René Angélil, 73, passed away this morning at his home in Las Vegas after a long and courageous battle against cancer,” his rep said in a statement to People.
“The family requests that their privacy be respected at the moment.”
He was first diagnosed with the disease in 1999 and battled three bouts before his passing.
“I think I will probably grieve for the rest of my life,” Celine told The Sun two years after his death.
“René has prepared me for all my life since I’m 12.
“I have never met another man in my life, never kissed another man in my life.
“I miss him a lot. I miss him a lot — for my partner, for the man I was embracing, kissing, making love with. My worries, my dreams.”
In December 2022, Celine revealed to fans that she is now battling her own health issues after being diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder known as stiff-person syndrome, which affects “something like one in a million people,” according to the star.
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“While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what’s been causing all of the spasms that I’ve been having,” she said in an emotional Instagram video.
“Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to.”
Celine is the star of a documentary which gives viewers an insight into her life and how she lives with the condition.
The most distressing moment in the film is a lengthy scene which shows Celine suffering a seizure, becoming so stiff she can’t move and only able to moan in pain and cry.
Celine’s documentary, I Am: Celine Dion, is available to stream on Prime Video.
What are the symptoms of Stiff Person Syndrome?
Symptoms of Stiff Person Syndrome can take several months to a few years to develop.
The severity and progression of SPS can also vary from one person to another.
The first signs of the condition are intermittent spasms, which then become continuous. However, experts say that spasms don’t usually occur during sleep.
Symptoms include minor sensory stimuli – those with this symptom would notice they have become more sensitive to noise, light, and touch.
Other symptoms to look out for are pain, severe spasms, and impaired breathing (in advanced cases).
Many people with SPS will experience falls because they lack defensive reflexes, experts at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke added.
Affected individuals should talk to their doctors about their symptoms.
The music icon also said in an interview with Hoda Kotb on NBC that her husband’s battle with cancer affected her own health battle.
The star told her: “I did not take the time. I should have stopped, take the time to figure it out. My husband as well was fighting for his own life.
“I had to raise my kids, I had to hide. I had to try to be a hero.
“Feeling my body leaving me, holding on to my own dreams.”
She also opened up about keeping her diagnosis a secret from the public for years.
“Lying for me, the burden was too much. Lying to the people who got me where I am today, I could not do it anymore.”
Despite her condition, Celine has vowed that the show must go on.
She’s one of the highlights of the opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She’s also reported to be secretly practicing ready for a limited run of shows in a Las Vegas comeback spectacular.
Before his passing, René welcomed three sons, Rene-Charles, Nelson, and Eddy, with Celine.
He also welcomed another son, Patrick, during his first marriage and two kids, Anne-Marie and Jean-Pierre Angélil, during his second marriage, making him a father of six.