Celine Dion says she's still 'not ready to date' three years after husband René died of throat cancer
Celine Dion has leaned on her friends and family for strength after her husband René lost his battle to throat cancer in January 2016. But more than three years later, the singing legend is still not ready to open her heart to someone else.
Speaking to NBC's Sheinelle Jones on the Today show, the 51-year-old singer-songwriter admitted she's "not ready to date" as she looks forward to a new tour.
"I don't date," she declared. "I'm not ready to date. I'm very lucky and happy to have so many people in my surrounding to make me—they make me laugh, but I miss to be touched. I miss to be hugged. I missed to be told 'you're beautiful.' I miss what a boyfriend and I miss what a husband would do."
According to her, barely a day goes by without René in her thoughts ever since his demise on January 14, 2016.
During the interview, Dion remembered the last conversation she had with her beloved husband. "He called me before a show and give me a little message: 'I love you' and when I came home that night, it was very, very late," she recalled. "And I didn't want to come and wake him up to give him a kiss, to wake him up and then he can't find sleep again. And the next morning, he was gone. So, we talked before. And he sent me a text message. So we said goodbye."
Since his passing, Dion has focused on her three children and music, and is now set to release a new record to coincide with her brand new tour. "This is my first English album without René," she noted. "When I say without René, without René physically, because René will always be part of me."
Dion said she always keeps his voice in her head and relies on his words of wisdom to guide her as she moves forward. "Before I talk, he goes through my mind," she said. "Would he do that? Is it too edgy? Would he be like approving that? I believed in him so much. And I still do. But there's a point that he's not here anymore. I have to take charge of my life."