HEALTHCeline Dion Reveals Her Children Worry She's 'Going to Die' Amid Stiff-Person Syndrome Battle
Celine Dion's children are concerned their mother could lose her life following her diagnosis with stiff-person syndrome.
In a sneak peek for an upcoming interview on Australia's Sunrise show, the "My Heart Will Go On" singer admitted her boys — René-Charles, 23, and 13-year-old twins Nelson and Eddy — have been especially upset because she is their only living parent.
Celine Dion confirmed she'd been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome in 2022.
"I don’t have my mom. I don’t have my dad," she said in the clip. "My kids are scared because they lost their dad. They’re wondering if I’m going to die."
Dion got married to music producer René Angélil in 1994, but he passed away in 2016 after his own battle with throat cancer.
Celine Dion was married to René Angélil from 1994 until he passed away in 2016.
As OK! previously reported, Dion revealed that she actually began experiencing symptoms for stiff-person syndrome while Angélil was ill, but she concealed her health problems to focus on her husband and children. However, she eventually realized that she couldn't hide the truth from her family any longer.
"Lying for me, the burden was too much," she explained. "Lying to the people who got me where I am today, I could not do it anymore."
Celine Dion sometimes has difficulties walking due to her diagnosis.
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In a separate interview, she shared that her children began to notice when she was having difficulties walking.
"I was like, 'Okay, they already lost a parent. I don't want them to be scared,'" she said in an interview published earlier this month. "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."
Stiff-person syndrome is a rare neurological disorder.
According to the award-winning artist, the rare neurological disorder causes severe muscle spasms that make it difficult to do everyday tasks, including trying to sing,, she she said makes it feel like she's being "strangled."
"It’s like somebody’s pushing your larynx, pharynx, this way," she said in a recent interview, demonstrating by pressing on her throat. "...Or, if I cook — because I love to cook — my fingers, my hands will get in position. It’s cramping, but it’s like in a position of like, you cannot unlock them."
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Dion also noted that some of her spasms have been so intense that she's broken ribs.
