Global music icon Céline Dion has shared a profoundly moving tribute to her late husband, René Angélil, marking a decade since his passing. The singer posted a heartfelt message to her nearly 10 million Instagram followers on the 10th anniversary of his death, reflecting on their enduring love and profound loss.
A Decade of Loss and Love
Angélil, who first discovered Dion and managed her stellar career for decades, passed away on January 14, 2016 at the age of 73. His death followed a long and difficult battle with throat cancer. The couple, who were married for 21 years, share three sons: René-Charles, now 24, and 15-year-old twins Nelson and Eddy.
In her emotional post, the 57-year-old singer wrote: "Mon amour, ten years without you feels like just a day, and yet each day feels like a decade... Ten years without your caress, and yet every day I feel your touch." She concluded the statement, which was also signed by their three children, with: "We love you more, every day and every year."
The tribute was accompanied by a striking photograph of Angélil's portrait placed on a black piano, with sunlight illuminating his face. This public remembrance is a poignant annual tradition for Dion, who also honours her husband on his birthday and their wedding anniversary.
A Partnership Forged in Music
The story of Céline Dion and René Angélil is one of the most remarkable in entertainment history. Their journey began in 1980 when a 12-year-old Dion performed for him. Impressed, Angélil agreed to become her manager, mortgaging his home to fund her first album.
Their professional relationship blossomed into romance by 1987, when Dion was 19. After a seven-year courtship, they married in a lavish ceremony in Montreal, Canada, on December 17, 1994. Dion has spoken candidly about initially hiding their relationship, fearing public judgement due to their age difference and their early connection. "I was afraid of what people would think," she once told People magazine.
However, love ultimately prevailed. "When you're in love, you want to scream it to the world," she added. The couple's bond remained unshakeable until Angélil's death, which came just two days before his 74th birthday.
Facing Personal Tragedy and Health Battles
Angélil's passing was swiftly followed by a second tragedy for Dion. Her brother, Daniel, died of cancer just two days later, on what would have been her husband's birthday. These devastating losses were compounded years later when Dion received her own harrowing health diagnosis.
In December 2022, the singer revealed she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), a rare and incurable neurological disorder. The condition causes severe muscle spasms and rigidity, dramatically affecting her ability to sing and perform. She has described the spasms as feeling like "someone is strangling you."
Her 2024 Prime Video documentary, I Am: Celine Dion, offers a raw and intimate look at her daily struggles with the progressive illness. According to medical experts, SPS affects only one to three people in a million and can eventually leave sufferers immobilised.
Despite these immense personal challenges, Céline Dion continues to honour the memory of the man who was her partner, manager, and greatest love. Her annual tributes stand as a testament to a bond that, in her own words, endures beyond time and loss.
