CELINE DION’S TRAUMATIC LIFE – WHAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE FRENCH CANADIAN LEGEND

The Diagnosis

Nothing could have prepared Celine for unexpected news she received back in 1999. Her beloved husband, Rene, was diagnosed with throat cancer. Doctors told them over time he would lose all his basic living abilities. Celine thus had to be his caretaker which presented a big challenge in their relationship. She went above and beyond to take care of Rene and very much wanted him to enjoy his life despite the diagnosis.

Her Husband’s Diagnosis

Her Life Is Never Dull

To say Celine Dion’s life is dramatic is quite the understatement. Since she was born she has faced a number of challenges, and sometimes things from her past still come back to haunt her. She has experienced huge success with her career, had to face living in the public eye, experienced a forbidden love affair, and has a number of health problems. Still, whenever you see her she has a smile on her face. She is one tough and talented lady!

Her Life Is Never Dull

Relationship

Celine’s mother was very much against her relationship with Rene. Celine stated, “When I told her I had some really strong feelings for Rene she tried everything to kill him and make me snap out of it… I was very frustrated and mad at first, but she tried to make me understand that this man tried marriage twice before – he has three children, he’s not responsible, ‘I want the perfect Prince Charming for you’.”

Celine’s Mom Hated Her Relationship

She Had Problems Conceiving

Celine Dion is a music legend, but even legends need to take a break once in awhile. Celine took some time off in 2000 to be with her family. She tried multiple times to get pregnant with Rene and even had two operations to help. Finally, she got pregnant and welcomed her first son, Rene-Charles Dion Angelil on January 25, 2001.

She Had Problems Conceiving

She Almost Died

Celine Dion had a near death experience before she was famous. She was only 5 years old when a truck hit her out of nowhere. She was knocked unconscious for almost a week. Her skull was fractured but she was able to recover fully.

She Almost Died

She Hated My Heart Will Go On

After first recording, “My Heart Will Go On,” Celine Dion hated it and thought it would bomb on the music charts. She even thought it would damage her career. Wow was she wrong! She stated,“…I didn’t really like the song, at first. I did another song for a movie before. It was very successful, and I thought we were pushing our luck…”

She Hated My Heart Will Go On

They Called Her A Traitor

Celine Dion had a huge hit from “Beauty and the Beast” in 1991. It actually earned Celine her first Grammy! While this was great, the popularity of the song and the Grammy actually caused a huge fan retaliation against her. The song and publicity angered her fans in Quebec. Celine is French Canadian and due to the response of her fan base, she refused to accept the English Artist of the Year award at the Felix Awards.

They Called Her A Traitor

Celine Wasn’t Planned

Did you know Celine has 14 siblings? She is actually the youngest of all of them! The family wasn’t planning on having more children due to the financial difficulty of paying for 13 children already, but fate had Celine’s birth planned. Celine had to sleep in a cabinet drawer at the beginning of her life because there were simply not enough beds. How her life has changed since then!

Celine Wasn’t Plan Down

 

Her Husband Put His Foot Down

Despite her initial apprehension about “My Heart Will Go On,” Celine’s husband, Rene, persuaded her to record and release the single. While interviewing with Jonathan Ross, she said, ” “[Angélil] said, ‘Let’s just do a demo. Let’s give it a try and we’ll see after.’ The demo is actually the real recording. I never sang the song again.” What a good decision to record the demo! After it was released in 1997 it became a huge hit and earned Celine a number of awards. To date, it is her most popular song.

Her Husband Put His Foot Down

A Shark When It Comes To Business

Dion’s mother is named Therese Tanguay Dion. She is well known in Quebec for cooking. Celine seems to have inherited her skills because in 1990 she opened her own restaurant in Quebec called Nickels. It was very successful so Celine decided to turn it into a chain. Now there are a number of restaurants she owns in Canada.

A Shark When It Comes To Business

Suing For Millions For Spreading Lies

The 1990s was a rollercoaster for Celine. She somehow released 13 studio albums and found out her husband had cancer. After the diagnosis, she stepped out of the limelight and took a break. While on her break, the tabloid magazine National Enquirer released a false story stating Celine was pregnant with twins. Celine sued the magazine for $20 million. The magazine apologized to her and made a donation to the American Cancer Society on her behalf.

Suing Millions For Spreading Lies