Celine Dion Says Final Goodbye to Rene Angelil at His Funeral

A heartbroken Celine Dion consoled mourners by the hundreds at a memorial for her husband, Rene Angelil in Montreal, Canada. Dion is also coping with the death of her brother, who died two days after her husband, and he will have his funeral on Saturday. “You had a busy life, but we [communicated] through golf, hockey, poker, and smoked meat”, he said, a line that drew a smile from his mother. “I’ll make sure to pass on what I learned from you”, he continued. You are a tough act to follow but with our help everything is going to be fine. “I can not tell you right now that I’m going to work”.

He is survived by their oldest son, Rene-Charles, and twin boys Eddy and Nelson, 5. “Je t’aime papa (I love you dad)”.

The first to speak was Angelil’s son from his first marriage, Patrick Angelil, who remembered his father as a man who loved to “eat, loved to share and play blackjack”. Rene always came up to the plate and would say ‘Listen, there’s 100 of us. “I have to show myself, my husband and my kids [that] I am strong and we’re OK”.

Dion opened the proceedings to the general public on Thursday local time, with live streams of the wake and the funeral on Friday (Saturday AEST) available online.

Landry said Angelil managed to give Quebec an “international reputation” over the years.

Fans across the world are collectively mourning the loss of Celine Dion’s long time husband and manager, Rene Angelil.

Former prime minister Brian Mulroney described Angelil as a “terrific gentleman” who will be sorely missed. Per Rene’s request, the Parish was the very same location where both he and Celine were married 21 years ago.