Celine Dion is a rare celebrity who comes across as both vulnerable and genuine. She’s consistently told her fans about her personal struggles. Celine was open about her multiple miscarriages before giving birth to twins in 2010, and she’s been open about her husband’s very serious health problems.
This March, Celine revealed that her husband of 21 years, René Angélil, 73, was unable to speak or eat after surgery for throat cancer. She said that he needed to be fed through a tube three times a day. Celine revealed this in the lead-up to her return to Caesar’s Palace in Vegas on August 27. (I believe that she was contractually obligated to return after taking a hiatus to care for Rene, although I can’t confirm that.) In a new interview with USA Today, Celine explained that Rene’s illness has progressed to the point that he may not have much time left. She said that she needed to keep strong for her family, essentially. You can see part of her interview on USA Today’s site. It’s kind of heartbreaking.
On returning to Vegas
I didn’t want to be here at first, I don’t need it. Don’t get me wrong, I love singing for people, but I have prioritiesBut René really gave me a gift. All my grieving, it was during this last year. I think I’ve got this. For now. When it hits me, it’s going to hit me. But my biggest job is to tell my husband, we’re fine. I’ll take care of our kids. You’ll watch us from another spot.
Keeping things in perspective
He’s working hard, but I have to say that people go through these things a lot through the world. You have to hear my stories and my husband’s story because we’re on TV, but people go through these stories the same, even worse every day.Being strong for her family
When you see someone who is fighting so hard. It has a big impact on you. You have two choices, you look at your husband who is very sick and… it kills you. Or you say… ‘I’ve got you.’ For me it’s the same with my children. When they’re sick, when they’re scared. ‘I got you.’When somebody falls and needs help it’s not time to cry, you help. Then when they’re fine you can go in your room and cry and shake. The difficulties of others help you to grow.
On Rene’s illness
We have asked (doctors) many times, how long does he have, three weeks, three months? René wants to know, but they say they don’t know.I’ll say, ‘You’re scared? I understand. Talk to me about it.’ And René says to me, ‘I want to die in your arms.’ OK, fine, I’ll be there, you’ll die in my arms.
On what Rene means to her
Don’t forget, he’s been the leader of the band all my life. So it (hacks) him off to not see me all day and over here working. But he wants me to do this, do the show, do the interviews. But he freaks when I’m not home with him, too.
[From USA Today article and video]
Celine also called Rene’s caregivers “perfection” and thanked the fans for their support. Her twins with Renee are four and she explained that they “don’t know their father in any other state.” Celine and Rene’s oldest child, René-Charles, is 14 and Celine calls him “the man of my life.” My heart goes out to her. She’s always been so real and open and it must be awful to see the love of her life suffer like this. We are thinking of Celine and her family at this difficult time.
Photos of Rene and Celine are from 2013. Celine is shown alone at the Billboard Music Awards earlier this year. Credit: FameFlynet and WENN.com
Terrible. 🙁 My heart goes out to her.
+ 1
What a beautiful thing to say to your wife. Not gonna lie, when I read this at work I choked up a bit.
Really? My gut reaction was: what a selfish thing to ask of your wife.
Losing someone you love is difficult enough, why add to it. If it’s something she wants, then fine, but for him to ask….now she’s obligated, you can’t say no. It just feels selfish to me and I worry that in addition to the grieving this expectation and experience may scar her. JMO
Sometimes you need to be obligated to those you love, even if it’s painful for you.
Why wouldn’t you want to be there for someone you love?
I was a previous nurse in an ICU and have done extensive hospice work. Most people would do anything to comfort their dying loved one.
When you have a loved one dying, you may change your mind. Having been there its very scary for someone to be sick, or dying.
My grandmother was a very strong, independent women and needed someone there for her while she died. Its sad for you but I can’t imagine what its like for the person actually dying and I hope I have someone there for me if I have to slowly die one day.
One of the saddest things I saw in the hospice was so many who didn’t have anyone there and it broke my heart. You may regret NOT being there for the rest of your life instead of a “scar” of being there.
I don’t understand your post. I guess I don’t consider it selfish. My mother died at home. Most people who love someone want to be with them as they pass, holding their hand. We were all around my mother comforting her, talking to her, holding her hands, caressing her head, there for her as her time neared. She passed peacefully surrounded by love. I swear if my siblings and father weren’t there around her bed, I would have crawled in bed with her and held her also, as much for me as for her.
After all my mother did for me my whole life and sacrificed, it was an honor to be there for her as hard as it all was during those last months and days and hours. And time does heal those memories. I thought I would never remember my healthy mom again, just my mother with her mind messed up with brain cancer, so desperately ill, falling in front of me, unable to know how to use her hands, but one day finally those memories were thankfully gone replaced with my vibrant mom again. That’s who I remember now.
Your response leads me to believe two things; 1) you are either not married nor have you ever truly loved someone and 2) you’ve never lost a loved one. Dying is f-ing terrifying and to selfishly be concerned with how a loved one’s death will impact YOU is beyond comprehension.
@ME TOO – wow, talk about harsh! For your information I have experienced love and have lost loved ones. You should consider that not everyone shares the same opinions and reactions. Differences are good and healthy.
@ALL – sorry if it isn’t clear in my original comment, but I think there is a clear difference between wanting to have someone die in your arms, literally, and being asked to hold someone while they die. If she wants to and she offers I think that is beautiful and caring, but I find asking someone to do that for you to be a little selfish. I’ve been there for loved ones who died, because I wanted to. I wouldn’t ask it of someone else, if they want to be there then they’ll be there. These are my opinions based on my experiences. We all have unique experiences.
My husband always says, “I hope everyone has what we have”, and I feel exactly the same. When you really are soul mates, and not simply ‘married with children’, your spirits are connected in a way that is impossible to separate. Our arguments are comedy for our children, and for us, because although it will contain grains of truth, they are always embellished banter to the point you wonder if someone is going to say ‘yo mama’. He remembers seeing the life leave my eyes the morning he tried to wake me, or pull me out of it, when I had H1N1A Flu. He remembers the song that played on radio that made him cry that first day he had to leave the hospital and go home to the kids when I was in a coma. And, he was holding my hand when I woke up 2.5 weeks later. Anyway, I am not putting you down for your comment, as I am thinking you might just still be young, or you haven’t met that person yet. I pray that you do, and when you do, you will know that for your husband and children, you will definitely, definitely be there for their last breath if need be. There is no question.
I had a very dear friend who was dying. She had children, of which only one was able (or willing) to be there with her. She took a turn for the worse at a very difficult time for her son to be there (job duties with his own business) and it was important to all of us who loved her to not have her be alone. For three nights, I took the “night shift” and was by her side so she wouldn’t be alone. The last night of her life, her daughter-in-law was able to be there and my mother relieved her in the morning. She died that afternoon, with another dear friend by her side. Not once did we leave her alone. I totally understand.
A little scarring from seeing a love one pass away is nothing compared to the alternative. I’d rather be there for someone I love in their dying moments — even if it hurts a ton, even if it hurts for a long time — than miss out on it. Because I know I’ll regret not being there for them in their final moments than I will regret having to see them actually pass.
Honestly…while it is somewhat selfish, it’s the kind that is forgivable. Working in a hospital, I see people die all the time, scared and alone. I’m not going to trash the guy for being honest and vulnerable enough to say to his wife, “I’m sorry, but I need you to be there.”
@ESTEPH – I want to add that I in no way intended for my comment to be snarky and I sincerely hope that Celine feels the way you do.
It’s interesting to me the very different reactions we can have to the same situation. For me, I think a lot is formed as a reaction to losing someone incredibly close to me. Before that experience I wanted to die peacefully in my sleep at home. Now that I’ve lost someone who died in the home I want the opposite. I’ll voluntarily put myself in a nursing home when the time comes. That experience made me so sensitive to the types of memories I leave behind. We carry ghosts with us regardless, but I want to do everything I can to ensure my family just had happy memories. Your very different reaction to this story reminds me that my family may have a different definition of what those good memories are… Thank you
We do all react differently to things, and I’m so sorry you had such an awful experience. You never know until you are in the situation, but I think if I could fulfill a need that my husband had, such as dying in my arms, it would comfort me. It would be horrible, but it would be worse to know he wanted that but died alone. As I said, though, you have been there and I haven’t, so I can only guess at how I would react.
Thanks GNAT. You’re right, of course you’re there when asked- how could you not be. I just don’t think I would ask that of my loved ones. It makes me sad just remembering and I wouldn’t want to leave others with sadness, if I can help it.
@ANTONYM – it’s all good. I respect whatever you have to say. We’re all adults here right?
Thanks ESTEPH!
Holding someone while they die is your very last chance to make them feel loved. It is not easy, but what about death is?
@ ESTEPH-me too 😭
💔
Wow. I don’t follow Celine or her music, but that was very touching. She sounds like a class act, and may her husband find peace.
Years ago, my sister and her husband went to Vegas…They were no fans of Celine at all…but when they got back, they raved about her show. Said it was fantatastic!
I feel so bad for her and her husband, and their family….watching someone you love die is horrible. I just went thru it with my Mom….
God, that hurts to hear.
I hope that Rene gets what he needs – whatever that is. And that Celine and her children are surrounded by love and good people.
That part about “you’ll watch us from another spot.” How lovely.
This made me teary eyed. My heart goes out to her and her family.
It made me teary too. I knew he was in bad shape I didn’t know he was dying.
Celine is a true talented class act, praying for her and her loved ones.
Awww! So sad! She seems like a wonderful lady
My husband is older and has been insulin dependent since he was in his late 20s. At this point, his health is deteriorating at a slow but steady pace. I spend a lot of time mentally preparing myself for the inevitable. Celine’s post was good, for the most part. But I don’t think you necessarily have to hide your grief from the dying. You can cry and still be strong and be there for them.
I am heartbroken to hear that, my friend. You’re right, you can be brave and show your feelings at the same time. It might even help your husband to comfort you, to feel that he can be there for you, too. I have no words to say how much I hate this for you.
Heart breaking. Prayers for her family and for every family dealing with an illness. May all who suffer have people like Celine in their lives.
This was both heartbreaking and touching to read. She’s a very strong woman. You don’t know how strong you are until you face something like this. Losing someone you love, someone who has been your rock, is so terrible and difficult. When my first husband became ill, I didn’t know how I would cope with everything, I had two small children and was just starting my practice. But I became stronger than I ever thought I could, strong in a different way than I was used to being. When he passed away, I felt broken inside, but I called on those reserves of strength and soldiered on because it was what Brian would have wanted.
Best of luck to Celine and Rene.
Not a fan of her music but am wishing her all the best. A very moving interview.
Sending light and love to her, Rene and their children. May Rene’s journey end as he wishes, with comfort and little pain.
In a crisis, my MO has been to push my own feelings deep inside so I can proceed with a clear head to help/do whatever’s needed at that time. And have been accused of being cold/unfeeling because of not freaking out (which after the fact can be extremely hurtful). She’s guiding her family’s ship through such rough waters with such grace and thoughtfulness, I hope she is never accused of the same.
@Birdix, I too do exactly the same thing in those situations. I always feel that if everyone else is losing it, I must tamp down my feelings and sorrow so I can be strong and take care of my family or friends. I have lost more loved ones than I care to count. Once I lost my grandma and best friend on the same day, which also happened to be my birthday. It was a horrific time in my life but so many others were really struggling so… I’m the one who orders flowers from everyone and calls the funeral home to make arrangements. I cook and clean and make sure everyone else is okay first. Then when I’m alone, I thoroughly fall apart. But since they don’t see that part of me, I have been accused of not being “feeling” enough or that I don’t care… quite the opposite in fact. I care so much that I don’t want my sorrow to possibly be a burden or I want so badly to do all I can to help the bereaved… so it’s misinterpreted at times. Sorry for the ramble, your post just really struck a cord in me…
I had an issue with him for a while because they met when she was 12, so I got some Woody Allen vibes.
But she is such a classy strong lady, and they are clearly so in love. Glad they have such a great family and a great love for each other.
Very sad that this is happening, but I hope one day when it’s my turn that I’m surrounded by such an amazing family and the love of my life.
I had always found him sort of creepy too but there is no denying they love each other. Celine comes across as such a kind, wonderful person. How sad for her to have to deal with this.
I side-eyed them for a long time because he has managed her life since she was a teen, he is older than her dead, heck his kids from his first marriage are older than Celine. When he got divorced to marry her I thought it was the worst gesture ever.
That being said, she adores him and it must be impossibly hard to watch the only man you have ever loved and been with suffering like this and dying slowly. I wish them both peace and strength for her.
What a brave woman in an unbearable situation. My heart goes out to her.
So very heartbreaking. All my love to Rene, Celine and their children.
Such a class act always!!! Prayers to her & her family.
Oh god this is so sad, for her and her kids, she is such a likeable lady
I am a big Celine fan and admire her very much but this latest declaration of love has more than a whiff of promotion to it. Celine’s new show opens next week under her new manager who fired her musicians and backup singers who had been with her for 20 years. The cost of her shows has to be cut but I hope they’re not trying to do it on the cheap. Celine should not go out that way.
As for “wants to die in my arms”, that’s way too personal for public revelation but it has drawn the attention and empathy they were looking for.
The PR wants to portray her as carrying a great burden and yet she marches on. I’m sure this is true but she also says her husband “freaks-out” when she’s not home. I’ve no doubt that working is very good for her.
The day her father died, she announced it to her audience and then performed her show. I realize timing is never good in these things but I do hope that when her husband passes she will not announce it to the audience and then say, “The show must go on”.
I’m getting the impression that being an open book and performing through her pain is how Celine WANTS to handle tragedy. I don’t think she’s happy keeping things private. And that’s fine. We’re all different.
I really feel for her and her family, she has my sympathies. I understand what she means because my siblings and I brought our mother home so we could take care of her on her last few days. One sibling and I split shifts to keep her comfortable and other sib would come by to sit with her and bring food after hospice coming by every day. It was heartbreaking especially since this happened just last Christmas. But I have no regrets about it. As much as it still hurts, I do now feel blessed to have held her as she passed away peacefully. She brought me to life and loved me so I feel that this was the least thing I could for her.
This seriously brought tears to my eyes. Wow. Celine can move people with her music but her words from the heart are even more powerful.
I’ve always considered Celine one of the sweetest celebrities around. Goodness radiates from her.
I know! If I saw a hater comment about Celine Dion, I’d assume that person was disturbed.
“but people go through these stories the same, even worse every day.”
Loved that she said this. She never feels sorry for herself. J’adore Celine xoxo
I missed that quote, but I’m so glad she said that, as my first thought was, this is awful for anyone to go through, but it’s turns worse when someone doesn’t have money. Money can’t buy health, but it can buy the best healthcare and nurses, and not having to worry about your family being financially okay after you die.
She has always seemed to be a class act.
Despite such humble beginnings, Celine has been a class act all of her life. A total pro, brilliantly talented, grounded and strong.
B.I.B.L.E – Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. It is real. And it has plenty of promises, and takes away any fear, and replaces with comfort and joy. I wish everyone knew.
I hate to say it but that’s really terrible her younger kids only know her husband as sick/dying..