It must be the power of love.
Celine Dion made her first public appearance in nearly four years as she continues to battle stiff-person syndrome.
The “My Heart Will Go On” singer, 55, attended an NHL game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Monday night between the Vegas Golden Knights and her hometown team, the Montreal Canadiens.
After the game, which saw the Habs lose, Dion went into the locker room and had an enthusiastic chat with everyone as she went around and shook their hands.
Despite her serious health issues, the French-Canadian superstar appeared to be in tremendous spirits.
Her son René-Charles and twins, Eddy and Nelson, were with her and posed for photos with a few players.
Dion announced her diagnosis in December 2022 after various concert cancellations — and ultimately ended her “Courage” world tour. She last took the stage in March 2020.
Stiff-person syndrome is a “rare, progressive neurological disorder” that can cause stiff muscles in the torso, arms and legs, according to the National Institutes of Health.
In early August, the “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” singer’s sister Claudette Dion shared that Celine was struggling with her ailment.
“We can’t find any medicine that works, but having hope is important,” Claudette told Le Journal de Montreal, despite her sister working with “the top researchers in the field.”
Claudette, 74, said she felt Celine canceling her tour was the best decision because she feels the performer “needs to rest.”
“She always goes above and beyond; she always tries to be the best and top of her game,” she said. “At one point, your heart and your body are trying to tell you something. It’s important to listen to it.”
About a month later, Claudette told Hello! Canada that she and her other sisters had no real way to
“alleviate [Celine’s] pain.”
“She’s doing everything to recover. She’s a strong woman,” she said. “It’s an illness we know so little about.
“There are spasms — they’re impossible to control. You know how people often jump up in the night because of a cramp in the leg or the calf? It’s a bit like that, but in all muscles.”
Since the “I’m Alive” singer received her diagnosis, her sister Linda Dion has moved into Celine’s Vegas home to help care for her.
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