Celine Dion says her children are 'scared' she will die as she battles Stiff Person Syndrome
Topics: Celebrity, Health, Mental Health, Music, Parenting
Poppy Bilderbeck
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Sunrise/Instagram/@celinedion
Topics: Celebrity, Health, Mental Health, Music, Parenting
Celine Dion has opened up about the impact her Stiff Person Syndrome diagnosis is having on her children.
Since publicly revealing she'd been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome in 2022, the iconic 'My Heart Will Go On' singer has been open about her journey with the condition and how it's impacted her, her career and her family.
In May 2023, she canceled all of her remaining tour dates to focus on her health and spending time with her family.
Advert
However, Dion was spotted in a surprise appearance on stage at the 2024 Grammy Awards earlier this year, joined by her eldest son René-Charles who accompanied her to present the award for album of the year to Taylor Swift.
And Dion has since opened up about her Stiff Person Syndrome has affected her children in particular.
In a preview of her interview with 7News' Sunrise, Dion explained she doesn't have her mom or dad and her kids are 'scared because they lost their dad' and 'they're wondering if [she's] going to die'.
Indeed, Dion's children - René-Charles, 23, and 13-year-old twins Nelson and Eddy - lost their dad René Angélil in 2016 to throat cancer.
The singer explains it's part of the reason which prompted her to go public with her diagnosis. She didn't want to 'lie' anymore and wanting to be honest about why she was having to take a step back from music, because she 'got scared' as her condition can be 'life-threatening'.
And in a clip from her upcoming Prime Video documentary, I Am: Celine Dion, she also reflected on the moment her kids started noticing her deteriorating health.
She said: "I barely could walk at one point, and I was missing very much living. My kids started to notice. I was like, 'OK, they already lost a parent. I don't want them to be scared.'
"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."
In an interview with PEOPLE in 2007, Dion noted she's 'not really a singer' and her 'life is to be a mom'.
She explained: "It is what I enjoy the most. It is my most amazing reward. I will take a chance with my music. I don't take risks with my family."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.