The Canadian singer, also known as the “Queen of Power Ballads,” has kept a low profile since December 2022 after being diagnosed with a rare and incurable disease, Stiff-Person Syndrome, a neurological condition that affects her muscles.
Amid her ongoing battle, the singer came forward last year and shared an emotional video on Instagram with her 6.2 million followers, where Dion opened up about her health, confirming to her fans that she has forced herself to cancel and postpone a series of concert dates that were initially scheduled for 2023.
Since then, Dion, 55, has avoided being seen in public, but recently, the “My Heart Will Go On” singer stepped out for the first time in nearly four years!
The legendary singer finally made an appearance in a major public event where she attended an NHL hockey game in Las Vegas on Monday night. After being away for so many years, she was seen enjoying the game between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Montreal Canadiens at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Later, Céline stepped into the locker room to greet her hometown team in a white, quilted vest over a tan sweater, as seen in the photos from the evening. Following the game, the hitmaker spoke with the Canadiens team, offering guidance on how to persevere and stay healthy.
She was also seen greeting some team members and clicking pictures with her son René-Charles, 22, and twins, Eddy and Nelson, 13. Later, Céline also shared some clicks on Instagram, captioning, “My boys and I had such a fun time visiting with the Montreal Canadiens after their hockey game with Vegas Golden Knights in Las Vegas Monday night. They played so well, what a game!! Thank you for meeting us after the game, guys! That was memorable for all of us. Have a great season!”
To which the Canadiens de Montréal Instagram handle commented, “Thank you for the beautiful moment, Celine!”
In addition to this, the Canadiens’ vice president of communications, Chantal Machabee, shared some photos alongside Céline to her Instagram handle, quoting, “Nice visit at our game in Vegas yesterday. Thank you @celinedion for your great generosity. The whole team was very happy to meet you and your family. 🩷” she wrote in French alongside the images.
Take a look at the official post below:
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Furthermore, back in May, a source told PEOPLE that Dion was “doing everything she can” to be healthy enough to return to the stage after canceling her concert dates through April 2024. The insider said, “It’s heartbreaking that she has had to cancel touring but she is suffering mobility and other issues from the disease disrupting her daily life.” They added, “She is doing everything she can while working with doctors because she wants to perform.”
Further stating, “She has not given up at all. She is hoping to get all of the issues with this disease under control so she can sing again.”
For context, Dion’s condition has been described by the Stiff Person Syndrome Foundation as follows: “Patients can be disabled, wheelchair-bound or bed-ridden, unable to work and care for themselves,” they say, adding that the neurological disease with autoimmune features can include symptoms like “hyper-rigidity, debilitating pain, chronic anxiety,” and muscle spasms “so violent they can dislocate joints and even break bones.”
Finally, check out the official statement Céline released last year on Instagram in both English and French, addressing the full situation in her own words. “I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time, and it’s been really difficult for me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through,” Dion, 54, wrote in the caption of the post. “It hurts me to tell you that I won’t be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February.”
“Recently, I’ve been diagnosed with a very rare neurological condition called stiff-person syndrome, which affects something like one in a million people,” she said in her video. “While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know that this is what has been causing all of the spasms that I’ve been having.” Further adding, “Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life.”
Dion continued, “Sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to.” The singer went on to note that she has “a great team of doctors working alongside me to help me get better.”
She also stated, “And my precious children who are supporting me and giving me hope.” The five-time Grammy winner also assured her fans that she is in no way close to giving up on being able to perform again. “All I know is singing,” she said. “It’s what I’ve done all my life. And it’s what I love to do the most.” “I’m working hard with my sports medicine therapist every day to build back my strength and my ability to perform again,” Dion added.
“But I have to admit, it’s been a struggle.”
Later in the video, she expresses her love for her fans. “I miss you so much. I miss seeing all of you. Being on the stage. Performing for you. I always give 100 percent when I do my shows, but my condition is not allowing me to give you that right now.” “For me to reach you again, I have no choice but to concentrate on my health at this moment,” she emphasized.
“And I have hope that I’m on the road to recovery. This is my focus and I’m doing everything I can to recuperate. I want to thank you so much for your encouraging wishes of love and support on my social media. This means a lot to me.”
She concluded the message with tears in her eyes, “Take care of yourselves. Be well. I love you guys so much and I really hope I can see you again real soon, Thank you.”
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