On June 25th, Prime Video will release “I Am: Celine Dion,” a documentary by Irene Taylor that delves into the singer’s private life and her battle with illness. It was at the end of 2022, after many months of absence and silence, that the 56-year-old star from Quebec revealed to the world that she was fighting stiff-person syndrome. This rare neurological disorder causes muscle stiffness and progressive spasms. The chronic illness forced her to pause her career and limit her public appearances.
However, since the start of the year, Celine Dion has gradually been stepping back into the limelight, offering reassurance to her fans and others. But during a promotional interview for her documentary with Hoda Kotb on the Today show, she made a heartbreaking revelation: she has been battling the disease for much longer than imagined—17 years!
Celine Dion Was In Denial For Many Years
Celine Dion admitted to lying because for years she acted as if nothing was wrong. “You say not telling the truth was too much to bear,” the journalist said to her. “I couldn’t take it anymore,” she replied. “What were you expecting me to say? I have… what? We didn’t know what was happening,” Celine justified. “I didn’t take the time. I should have stopped. Taken the time to understand. My husband (René Angélil) was also fighting for his life (he died of cancer in 2016), she recalls, moved. I had to raise my children and hide my struggles. I tried to be a heroine, but I felt my body failing me while I clung to my dreams. And lying… the burden was too heavy to carry. Lying to the people who helped me get to where I was… I couldn’t bear it anymore.”
She Suffered In Silence
What does stiff-person syndrome feel like? When Hoda Kotb asked her what exactly happened when she tried to sing, “it’s as if someone is strangling you,” Celine Dion explained. “It’s like someone is pushing your larynx pharynx in this direction,” she added. “You get a spasm. It started here,” she said, pointing to her throat. “And I thought, ‘It’s okay, everything will be fine. But it can happen in the abdomen, the spine, the ribs.”
Celine continued: “I feel like if I point my toes, they will stay in that position. Or if I’m cooking – because I love to cook – my fingers, my hands, will stay in that position… It’s like a cramp, but it’s in a position where you can’t unlock them,” described the singer of ‘My Heart Will Go On.’ It’s to the point where a spasm can be so violent that it breaks a rib. Celine Dion has experienced that. And to think it took years before the correct diagnosis was made.
This article first appeared on grazia.fr – Author: Jordane Guignon
