Celine Dion Raised 3 Children as a Widow – Few Times They Were Seen in Public

• Celine Dion lost her husband of 21 years to throat cancer.
• But while dealing with some of life's hardships, Celine has been focused on being a present mother to her three children.
• The singer keeps her children out of the limelight but has made several public appearances with them.

Celine Dion has faced life-changing hardships in her life. The renowned singer suffered the loss of her husband of 21 years, René Angélil, who lost his battle with throat cancer at 73.

Besides being her life partner, René also played the role of her manager. The couple's love story dates back to when Celine was only 12. The singer had submitted a demo song she had written with her mother when René discovered her talent.

The manager made it his life's mission to make her a star. Before becoming a manager, René was in a Canadian pop-rock group called The Baronets. But after leaving the band, he built a successful career as a music manager.

Celine was also not his first wife; René was married twice, first to Denyse Duquette from 1966-1972, then to singer Anne Renée from 1974-1980.

The "I'm Alive" singer confessed that she started her career not knowing how to write songs, play an instrument, or read music. However, since she had an amazing manager, she was able to evolve into a multi-faceted singer.

The couple did not start dating until Celine was a teenager. They kept their relationship under wraps because of her career and their 26-year age gap. For a while, Celine and her husband lived their life together in secret, but once they were free to speak about it felt even stronger. "It was like bang! Love! Love always wins," she expressed.

The "All by Myself" star and René married in 1994 and welcomed three children together. Their firstborn, René-Charles, arrived in 2001, and twins Nelson and Eddy in 2010. But after becoming a mother and topping the charts for many years, Celine still had a successful residency in Las Vegas, where she also moved her family.

However, Celine had to step down from her performance duties, as she recently discovered that she was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, which has forced her to reschedule all her 2024 tour dates.

Having her husband leave her was difficult for her and her children. More significantly, Celine has had to navigate life without the only man she had ever kissed. The family had to watch René suffer his cancer battle each day, so his passing also came with a bit of a relief. She expressed:

"So the man of my life was my partner, and we were one. So when he stopped suffering, I said to myself, he is okay. And he deserves not to suffer."

When asked if she hoped to fall in love again, seeing as she is still young, Celine replied:

"I love. I love. I love him. I'm still in love with him. And I have the love of my children. I have the love of my fans. I love the people that I work with. So my life is not empty of love."

However, throughout the ups and downs she has faced, Celine has kept her children's lives private and rarely made public appearances with them. The singer is a devoted mother and has shared a few memorable moments with her children on social media.

Celine Dion's Rare Appearances with Her Children

Celine youngest children, Nelson and Eddy, have officially entered their teenage years and turned 13 this month. But for their 10th birthday, the mother of three shared a loving and heartwarming message for her twins.

She commemorated the milestone birthday with childhood pictures of Nelson and Eddy, stating, "You make me, your big brother and your Dad, who is for sure watching over you, so very proud." The singer also involves her children in her activism.

She posted a photo of her hugging her twins as they all incorporated purple in their outfits to celebrate Spirit Day, dedicated to raising awareness against the bullying and mistreatment of the LGBTIQ+ community.

The proud mother also went to Disneyland with her sons. For Mother's Day, she posted a family picture with her three sons and dogs and raved about her privileges as a mother.

Besides doing fun adventures with her children, the singer also takes them on her tours. The "I Love You" singer posed in front of a plane with her ​​sons Nelson and Eddy, adding that they had enjoyed a summer in Paris.

In 2022, Celine shared another candid Mother's Day post with her children and sent her regards to the mothers and women in Ukraine. She remarked that she was fortunate to be with her kids as she thought about mothers who had lost theirs.

Celine Dion Speaks on Motherhood

Celine waited eight years before welcoming her twins. After going through IVF while trying to conceive her first son, she also decided to freeze embryos. In 2007, after she ended her residency in Las Vegas, she felt ready to try again.

Before the singer was forced to step down from performing, she already loved being a full-time mother. When René-Charles was five years old, Celine spoke about how relaxing it was to read him stories to sleep, paint, and play with Play-Doh.

Even when she returned to touring, Celine opened up about how difficult it was for her to travel the world with her three children. She confessed that it was especially challenging while grieving.

Since losing her husband, the singer has been trying to keep René's memory alive with her children. Celine said they have a ritual each evening in which they all speak to photos of the late manager. She reiterated:

"We kiss him every night. We have a little ritual where we say goodnight to him with a little picture. Then the kids talk to him. And they write words, put them in balloons, and we send the balloons to the sky."

Even though Celine and her children have faced several hardships, the singer has prioritized her children and their well-being through it all.