Rigidness ailment characterized by uncontrollable muscle contractions. - Celine Dion hid her health issue for 17 years.
Celine Dion has disclosed in tears that she had been hiding her Stiff-Person Syndrome for 17 years before eventually announcing her diagnosis in 2022. The "My Heart Will Go On" star expressed that the weight of concealing her condition had become too much of a burden.
During a sneak peek of an interview with "Today Show" host Hoda Kotb, Dion detailed the difficulty of keeping her fans in the dark. The entire interview is set to air on NBC at 10 pm (local time) on June 11th. In 2022, doctors diagnosed the singer with a rare neurological autoimmune disease, but she had been secretly battling it for years. The disease was an additional heavy burden to bear for the talented vocalist who felt her body was abandoning her. Despite her voice failing her, stumbling, or falling, she continued to perform until 2022 when she divulged her health status and canceled all upcoming shows.
Additionally, Dion discussed how she initially recognized something was amiss in her body but did not investigate further. At the time, her husband René Angelil was also dealing with severe health issues. Tragically, he succumbed to throat cancer in 2016. After his passing, it became challenging for her to maintain her career while also concealing her worsening condition from the public. "I had to raise my children, I had to hide, and I had to try to be a hero," she recalled. "I held on to my own dreams."
Celine Dion: "It's like someone is choking you"
Dion has battled Stiff-Person Syndrome for 17 years and even up until 2022, she continued to perform. When the illness was revealed, she canceled all her scheduled shows. In the upcoming interview, she explains how her singing experience has changed recently. "It's like someone is choking you. It's like someone is grabbing your throat," she said, describing how the spasms felt. Furthermore, the spasms interfere with her control over her vocal range. The spasms also impact her abdomen, spine, and ribs, resulting in her sustaining a rib fracture.
In her upcoming documentary "I Am: Celine Dion", scheduled for release on Amazon Prime Video on June 25th, the singer offers more insights into her wellbeing. Regardless of her limitations, she still cherishes the idea of gracing the stage again in a possible final performance.
