Celine Dion Cancels Shows Following Husband Rene Angélil’s Death

Dion released a statement on her website announcing the cancellation. He had also struggled with heart problems after an arterial blockage in 2009.

Following Angelil’s 1999 throat cancer diagnosis, the singer made a decision to take a break from the limelight to care for him.

Celine Dion’s husband’s long battle with cancer ended Thursday morning… he died at their home in Las Vegas. After managing groups in Canada, he was approached to manage Dion by her parents when she was aged 12. In August 2014, Dion, 47, announced that she was postponing her career “indefinitely” to care for her husband, whom she married in December 1994.

René leaves behind the couple’s 14-year-old son René-Charles, and four-year-old twins Nelson and Eddy, as well as three grown-up children from two previous marriages. In fact, Dion and Angélil had planned business meetings on the day of his unexpected death.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted his condolences to Celine Dion, their children, friends and “loved ones of Rene Angelil on his passing” while Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard called Angelil “engaged, passionate, talented and courageous”.

“He’s working really hard on his health”, Dion said at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards. Their wedding in Montreal was televised live on Canadian television.

“My mother wanted to kill him”, Dion said later. Angélil’s death marks her second hiatus from her wildly popular show. “I understand. Talk to me about it.’ And René says to me, ‘I want to die in your arms.’ OK, fine, I’ll be there, you’ll die in my arms”.