Celine Dion, the renowned Titanic singer at the age of 55, made a seldom-seen public appearance on Monday evening during a hockey game in Las Vegas, Nevada. This marked her first public appearance in three and a half years, all while she continues to confront stiff-person syndrome.
The occasion featured the Montreal Canadiens facing off against the Vegas Golden Knights, and video footage shared on the internet revealed Celine’s evident enthusiasm as she interacted with both players and fans in the locker rooms following the game.
“Our visit to the game in Vegas yesterday was truly special,” expressed Chantal Machabée, the Vice President of Hockey Communications for Montreal, in a post on her Instagram. She added, “We’re immensely grateful for your generosity, Celine Dion. The entire team was thrilled to have the opportunity to meet you and your family.”
Celine was accompanied by her sons, René-Charles, 22, and her twins, Nelson and Eddy, who are 13 years old.
“It’s a tremendous honor to meet you,” Celine expressed to coach Martin St. Louis in French, as captured in another video. She continued, “It was an unforgettable evening.”
During her visit, Celine also offered words of advice to the hockey players, saying, “Simply stay healthy and strong, and continue doing what you do best.”
The Grammy-winning artist has maintained a notably low profile since revealing her diagnosis of Moersch-Woltman Syndrome (also known as Stiff Person Syndrome, SPS) in 2022. This rare neurological condition causes painful muscle spasms. She first disclosed her diagnosis in December, which unfortunately led to the cancellation of her ‘Courage World Tour’ five months ago.
On May 26, she shared her regrets on Instagram, stating, “I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again. I’m working tirelessly to regain my strength, but touring can be exceptionally challenging even at 100%. It’s not fair to keep postponing the shows, and although it pains me, it’s best to cancel everything until I am truly ready to return to the stage.” She concluded with a hopeful note, “I want you all to know that I’m not giving up, and I can’t wait to see you again!”
Celine Dion’s older sister, Claudette Dion, who is 74 years old, has expressed her deep distress over the situation, acknowledging that there appears to be limited they can do to aid her resilient sister or alleviate her suffering. Claudette shared with HELLO! Canada, “She’s doing everything within her power to recover. She’s an incredibly strong woman.”
She went on to highlight the challenges of dealing with the little-understood illness, saying, “It’s a condition about which we have limited knowledge. The spasms it causes are incredibly difficult to control.”
“You know how people sometimes wake up in the middle of the night due to a leg or calf cramp? It’s somewhat similar, but it affects all her muscles,” Claudette explained. “There’s limited support we can provide to her in order to ease her pain.”
She also expressed the family’s hope for a breakthrough, saying, “We’re keeping our fingers crossed that researchers will discover a remedy for this terrible illness.”
To provide care and support for Celine, her sister Linda and Linda’s husband have relocated to Celine’s residence in Las Vegas. Claudette emphasized the comfort that this proximity brings, stating, “Having them close to Celine is reassuring for all of us.”
Despite their efforts and collaboration with top researchers in the field, Claudette previously disclosed that Celine’s health has shown little improvement.
Claudette Dion shared with Le Journal de Montreal, “We haven’t been able to find any effective medication, but maintaining hope is crucial.”
She explained that Celine’s decision to cancel her ‘Courage’ tour was a necessary step towards her recovery. Claudette further expressed, “I genuinely believe that what she needs most is rest. She has always strived to excel and be at the pinnacle of her field. At some point, your heart and body send you a message. It’s vital to heed that message.”
Celine’s sons, René-Charles, Eddy, and Nelson, have played an essential supportive role in her battle with Stiff Person Syndrome. A source revealed to Us Weekly that they have been her pillars of strength as she contends with this rare neurological condition.
Celine’s children have been a constant source of support and strength during this challenging time. An insider remarked, “Her kids have been her rock… The twins exhibit a remarkable level of maturity for their age, and René-Charles regularly checks in on and cares for his mom.”
Celine’s late husband, René Angélil, passed away at the age of 73 in 2016 after a 22-year marriage. In January 2020, on the fourth anniversary of his passing, Celine paid tribute to him on Instagram, writing, “There is not a day that goes by without me thinking about your beautiful smile. We miss you, thank you for watching over us, my love. I love you. Céline xx.”
During an interview on Today in September 2019, she openly shared that she wasn’t ready to date after the loss of her husband to throat cancer, stating, “I don’t date. I’m not ready to date. I’m very lucky and happy to have so many people in my surroundings who make me laugh.”
Source: dailymail.co.uk