‘They Already Lost A Parent’

In an interview with People, the music superstar — who was diagnosed with the rare autoimmune and neurological disorder stiff-person syndrome, which impacts her mobility and voice — said sons René-Charles, 23, and 13-year-old twins Nelson and Eddy give her the strength to fight as “they already lost a parent.”

“I barely could walk at one point, and I was missing very much living. My kids started to notice. I was like, ‘Okay, they already lost a parent. I don’t want them to be scared,'” the 56-year-old told the publication. “I let them know, ‘You lost your dad, [but] mom has a condition and it’s different. I’m not going to die. It’s something that I’m going to learn to live with.'”

Dion was diagnosed in August 2022 with the disease, six years after losing her husband and former manager René Angélil to throat cancer. However, Dion has been suffering with symptoms — including excruciating muscle spasms, difficulty walking and breathing — for years.

The Grammy-winning singer first opened up about her diagnosis in 2022, in an emotional video in which she revealed her health problems and announced she’d be postponing her concerts in 2023.

“Recently, I’ve been diagnosed with a very rare neurological condition called stiff-person syndrome, which affects something like one in a million people,” she said at the time. “While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know that this is what has been causing all of the spasms that I’ve been having.”

She later canceled her tour in May 2023, but she hasn’t stopped living. In addition to training, Dion has most recently made a public appearance at the Grammys, where she appeared to be in good health, and has continued to wow with her show-stopping fashion and beauty looks.

However, the “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” singer is proving she is one of the most motivated human beings in the world, as she pushes herself not only for her sons but for her fans too, in a documentary highlighting her journey back to the stage.

In the emotional footage, fans can see how hard Dion has been working to return to what it is that she loves to do, and how committed she is to getting a microphone back in her hands, to her fans, and to the career she’s had to set aside.

In an interview with TODAY airing in part on Tuesday, Dion also promised, “I’m going to go back on stage, even if I have to crawl. Even if I have to talk with my hands, I will. I will.”

The Prime Video documentary, I Am: Celine Dion will stream globally June 25 and is directed by Academy Award-nominated director Irene Taylor.