Celine Dion, a singer, wed her husband René Angélil, who was 26 years her senior, when she was just 26 years old. Despite the many challenges they had with fertility, they were blessed with a lovely marriage. Unfortunately, Angélil succumbed to cancer, and the diva was left to raise their three children on her alone.
When Celine Dion first began dating René Angélil, who was then 44 years old, she was just 18 years old. Angélil was introduced to Dion for the first time when one of Dion’s siblings gave him a video of Dion when he was just 12 years old. After hearing Dion perform, the music manager extended an invitation to the singer to take part in an audition in Quebec.
Because he was so moved by the sound of her voice, he began to weep as soon as she began to sing. According to Good Housekeeping, in 1981, Angéli put his home up as collateral in order to raise money for Dion’s record.
In 1987, a year after they had begun an affair behind each other’s backs, they went out on their first date. They did not, however, make any public statements on their relationship until five years later. They announced their engagement in 1991, but the singer’s mother, Thérèse, was uncomfortable with the 26-year age difference between them. Dion came clean and said:
“It was a really challenging situation for her.”
Thérèse made an effort to persuade Dion to “snap out of it” by reminding her that Angélil had two failed marriages and three children, which, in her perspective, could only imply that he was irresponsible. She hoped that this would convince Dion to “snap out of it.” Despite this, Dion, along with the whole of Dion’s family, was over over heels in love with Angélil.
They did end up being married, in the year 1994, at the Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal. Dion’s joy level reached an all-time high. She had a successful singing career and was married to the man who would become the love of her life. Regrettably, not all facets of her life were as peach-blossom smooth as others.
For a number of years, Dion struggled with infertility, and to add insult to injury, in 1998 Angélil was informed that he had throat cancer, which placed the couple in the midst of an even more difficult time period. Dion had a successful career, and it seemed that her star was shining brighter with each passing day, but she chose to put all of that aside in order to concentrate on taking care of her husband instead.
Despite how difficult that time period turned out to be, Dion and Angélil had a cause to rejoice in the year 2000 when it was announced that he was no longer affected by cancer.
Far more fantastic news awaited them when in 2001, after undergoing complicated reproductive procedures, they received their first child together, René-Charles, on January 25. This brought them even more joy than they could have ever imagined.
Angélil was overjoyed by the news! He said that becoming a father to a child, particularly after overcoming cancer, was the most wonderful experience in the whole world. He devoted all of his time to caring for his newborn child, and it was a joy to be greeted each day by the baby’s beaming grin.
During an appearance with Oprah, Dion playfully informed on her husband, stating that he would accidently knock their sleeping baby’s cradle while passing by so that he might wake him up and spend more time with him. She said this in reference to the fact that he wanted to spend more time with him.
If having their first kid was challenging, then having their second child was much more challenging for them. During an appearance on Oprah, Dion revealed how difficult it had been for her to get pregnant for a second baby, revealing that she had had four miscarriages along the way. However, she did not lose hope that she would successfully deliver the fifth pregnancy, as shown by the fact that she stated:
“If the number five is my lucky number, then this fifth attempt is going to be successful.”
Finally, in 2010, after multiple rounds of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and using acupuncture to increase her chances of conceiving, the couple’s dream to give their son a sibling came true when they welcomed their fraternal twin boys, Nelson and Eddy. This was after the couple had used acupuncture to increase her chances of conceiving.
Angélil was there during the delivery of his children and took pride in the fact that he was the one to cut the umbilical cords when the boys were born. He recounted how heartbreaking it had been for him to see his “miracle twins” for the first time and to hear their cries for the very first time.
It really was a miraculous occurrence. Even though Dion had hoped for and been content with just one kid, the fact that she was able to have two was an incredible gift. A few weeks later, Angélil expressed his adoration for his wife and revealed that the happiness that motherhood offered her could not be surpassed by anything else in her life.
He took notice of the fact that she survived on very little or no sleep, despite the fact that she said her sons had made her life amazing. Speaking to Hello Magazine, Angélil said:
“She gets very little sleep yet manages to look gorgeous. Celine is a powerful force in the natural world.
Two months after the birth of her twins, the singer who is well known for her hit “The Power of Love” said that both of her children already had strong personality characteristics. She was somewhat similar to Eddy in appearance, but Nelson took on more of Angélil’s characteristics.
She also stated that when she was taking care of her three sons — a kid who was 9 years old and twins who were two months old — she often found herself still in her pajamas at lunchtime and pondered how she would be able to raise her children and maintain a career at the same time. She had this to say about becoming a mother:
“Not only does it make you feel like your life has purpose, but it’s also the most essential job there is. Who cares if people like me as a singer? They can find other singers, and there will always be other singers. There is no use in worrying about it. On the other hand, I am the only mother who can provide the best possible care for my children.
The first three years of Angélil and Dion’s journey as parents together were filled with joy and laughter. Dion also went back to work, beginning her professional career again in January 2011 with a residency in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, Angélil’s cancer reappeared in the year 2013.
Together, they tackled the challenge, and in December of that year, Angélil went in for surgery to have a tumor removed from his body. Dion once again interrupted his duties in order to attend to his patient’s needs at this time. Regrettably, he died away in 2016 at their home in Las Vegas. At the time, his twin children were just five years old.
The performer of “My Heart Will Go On” was in a condition of complete despair. Angelil was the guy who had been in her life since she was a teenager and with whom she had devoted the most of her time, but he was no longer there.
She was inconsolable but knew she had to keep her strength for the sake of their three sons. During an interview on Today, Dion said that her late husband is very much present in both her and their children. She continued by saying:
“We are still a part of his household. Because he is a consistent presence in our life, I can confidently declare that I am in a good place.
Nevertheless, being a single parent to three infants has not been an easy task by any means. The musician freely acknowledges that as a mom, she does a “double job,” despite the fact that her children will always see their father as their primary caregiver. She is more than simply their mother; she is also considered to be their “parents.”
She recognizes her role in helping people develop their unique identities and assisting them in achieving their goals, and she does it with gratitude. René-Charles is aware that his mother will always be there to love and protect him, despite the fact that he is now 21 years old.
