Celine Dion's close ones concerned about who takes care of her after diagnosed with stiff person syndrome
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: Singer Celine Dion has revealed that she suffers from a neurological disorder known as the stiff person syndrome that reportedly affects one in a million people. The side effects of the condition have caused the artist to cancel several shows including the possibility of never returning to the stage. Insiders worry about who is taking care of her since the 'I'm Alive' hitmaker relied on her late husband Rene Angelil for everything.
Along her Las Vegas strip, Vegas journalist Scott Roeben told Page Six about rumors that Dion "would not be returning to live to perform — maybe ever at all." Dion, who owes much of her estimated $470 million fortune to Vegas shows, addressed all the gossip on Thursday, December 8, with an emotional video shared on her social media. The singer announced to her fans that her rising health issues have caused her to postpone or cancel her summer 2023 shows to 2024. However, according to Roeben things are "serious" and Dion does not "want people to be unnecessarily concerned."
READ MORE
"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," Celine said in the video clip she shared on her social media. "Recently I have been diagnosed with a very rare neurological syndrome, which affects something like one in a million people," she continued, further explaining that the side effects have been brutal. Stiff person syndrome causes rigidity and spasms in the trunk, arms, and legs. The condition causes greater sensitivity to noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can set off muscle spasms, according to NINDS.
Dion, 54, first postponed her new Las Vegas residency at Resorts World because of “severe” muscle spasms just a month before she was due to take to the stage in October 2021. The spree continued as she canceled her North American tour and postponed her European tour. The “Power of Love” singer revealed that the condition has made it difficult to walk and has prevented her from singing the way she’s "used to." "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."
"When it’s Celine, it’s not what you do, it’s who you are," Roeben referred to the singer’s love for performing. "To have it taken away, it’s even more tragic. My sources believe she may not be able to return to the stage. After that initial talk of struggling with muscle spasms, we started hearing about how serious things were, but Celine is the type of person who doesn’t want people to be unnecessarily concerned: Her fans are obsessed with every breath she takes. They hang on every word."
Dion's life has been a struggle ever since her husband and manager Rene Angélil died following a lengthy battle with throat cancer in January 2016. "Since Rene died, it’s been very difficult. He hasn’t been there to protect Celine. He was her touchstone, he looked after everything for her. Celine relied on him for everything — her management, her finances, her music production — and things have gone downhill since his passing," an insider who knew the couple told Page Six. "I’m not sure exactly who she has in her corner looking after her anymore, or if they have her best interests at heart. It’s true — she may not ever be able to perform live again," the insider added.
Dion's close ones worry that her "best friend" and former backup dancer Pepe Muñoz had control over her as he took advantage of being her "boy toy." He’s isolating her and people are feeling it. She’s in love with this guy and listens to everything he’s saying. People go to him when they have questions. He’s fully taken over. The only people around her now [are] Pepe, the hairdresser, and the stylist," said a source to the outlet in 2016.
After her husband’s unfortunate death, it’s been unclear to whom Dion could turn. While the singer has been linked to Muñoz several times, she told The Sun, "Yeah, there’s another man in my life but not THE man in my life." Sources have revealed that the singer continues to struggle without her husband. She is also rarely seen out and about in Vegas, where she resides after selling a $45 million mansion in Florida as well as her Montreal residence. Roeben stated that a few years ago people in Vegas would "spot Celine out and about with her entourage. But, for this very long stretch of time, nobody has shared even a paparazzi photo or a fan photo. She just kind of disappeared." The source added, "Celine is really tough. She’ll be OK."
Dion married Angélil in 1994 with a lavish ceremony at the Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal. The music manager reportedly turned down all his other acts and remortgaged his house to turn then-12-year-old Celine into a star. She gave birth to three sons Rene-Charles, 21, Nelson,12, and Eddy,12. Despite calling her children her greatest pride, Dion has admitted to having struggled with her firstborn Rene-Charles.