Celine Dion Was 'Excited' To Announce Montreal Canadiens’ Newest Player In NHL Draft

Jul 02, 2024 by apost team

Céline Dion is a pinnacle name in the music industry. Her unique vocal tone and impressive singing abilities catapulted her into a lifetime of fame and success, with a four-decade career. 

Céline’s discography has shown the trials and tribulations of relationships, from the most beautiful love stories to the hardest moments of heartbreak. 

Being in the spotlight for such a long time is sure to be taxing on anyone, especially someone already facing such hardship. Fans grew concerned for the star years back when she started losing weight, her powerful voice overtaken by her small frame.

The singer has been dealing with health complications for some time now and had to cancel her upcoming events following a heartbreaking announcement. Céline shared the news that she was diagnosed with a rare neurological disease called stiff-person syndrome. 

During the announcement of her illness, Céline said that her team of doctors was still learning about stiff-person syndrome, but they finally had some answers to her frequent spasms. She said that her condition had given her difficulties with walking and the use of her vocal cords.

Upon news of Céline’s health condition, fans worldwide have sent her love and support in these trying times. As months passed, Celine started opening up more about her condition to the world and even detailed her journey battling the condition through interviews, her own documentary, and appearing publicly again. 

On June 28, 2024, Celine made a special appearance at the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft to express support for her favorite National Hockey League team, the Montreal Canadiens. Keep reading to learn more about Celine’s condition and her rare public appearance.  

The National Health Institute explained that Stiff-Person Syndrome occurs when there is a disruption in communication pathways from the brain to the muscles, which turn rigid or stiff. Aside from muscle stiffness and spasms, the symptoms of this condition include the risk of falling down or problems with breathing.

Although a team of doctors aids in her care, research progress for Céline’s cure has been slow since then.

“The vocal cords are muscles, and the heart is also a muscle. This is what comes to get me. Because it's 1 out of a million case, the scientists haven't done that much research because it didn't affect that many people,” Celine’s sister, Claudette Dion, told 7 Jours Magazine in December 2023.

In an interview with French publication Tele 2 Semaines on Jan. 20, 2024, Claudette opened up that she first began noticing her sister’s symptoms as early as the summer of 2021. 

"We know she's supported, she's an intelligent woman and we're not worried. We're not worried, because if it was very serious, we'd know about it,” she said, noting that Céline was suffering from "leg cramps" before saying that it was "a kind of twisted foot that's giving her muscle spasms in the leg."  

The symptoms started coming out in the summer of 2021, at a time when Céline was spending time out with her children in Quebec. 

"I think she's pushed herself a bit too hard and her muscles are crying out. She gives more than she's able to… It's not the first time it's happened to her,” her sister recalled at the time.

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However, on Feb. 4, 2024, Céline surprised everyone when she was announced as a presenter at the 2024 Grammy Awards. 

The global music icon was styled by renowned stylist Law Roach in her first appearance in three months. She was dressed in a light peach-colored gown with a large sienna-hued coat and a platinum-and-diamond necklace from Tiffany & Co. She was met with thunderous applause and a standing ovation from a star-studded audience. 

“When I say that I’m happy to be here, I really mean it from my heart,” she said before she presented the nominees for Album of the Year. “Those who have been blessed enough to be here at the Grammy Awards must never take for granted the tremendous love and joy that music brings to our lives and to people all around the world. And now it gives me great joy to present a Grammy Award that two legends Diana Ross and Sting presented to me 27 years ago.”

Céline’s surprise appearance at the Grammy Awards relieved many, as they finally saw the beloved singer looking healthy again. Many pointed out that her appearance seemed better than insiders say her health condition is. Several fans commented about how she'd put on weight. 

“Glad to see Céline has put a bit of weight back on and looking much healthier than she did in the past couple of years,” wrote one.

“Céline Dion looks better now than she has in years. Puzzling since she has a serious illness. Wishing her the best with her health,” another wrote. 

“Céline is still the queen!  She actually looks really good!” a third person shared.

After her surprise appearance at the 2024 Grammy Awards, Céline has appeared sparingly in the public eye. In May 2024, Céline released the trailer for her Amazon Prime documentary, “I Am: Céline Dion.” 

“I have to admit it’s been a struggle. I miss it so much. The people, I miss them. If I can’t walk, I’ll crawl. And I won’t stop. I won’t stop,” Céline said in the documentary trailer. 

Around this time, Today’s Hoda Kotb teased that she got to talk to Céline in an exclusive interview, which was eventually released on June 14, 2024. In the 42-minute emotional conversation with Céline, Kotb asked her questions that her loyal fans worldwide wanted to know. Céline said that hiding her illness from her fans was “too much” for her. 

“What do you want me to say? I have, what? We did not know what was going on. I should’ve stopped and taken the time to figure out and taken the time like it’s not enough,” she said. “And lying, for me, the burden was too much. Lying to people who got me where I am today – I could not do it anymore.”

Céline described the Stiff Person Syndrome, specifically the uncontrollable spasms, as if like “somebody is strangling you.”

“It’s like somebody is pushing your larynx/pharynx this way,” she detailed. 

Along with the interview, newly unearthed footage from her 2010 documentary, “Céline: Through the Eyes of the World,” saw her discussing the spasms with her doctor. 

“My main problem now is my neck, I cannot relax my neck so I cannot relax my vocal chords so I cannot vocal exercise well,” a 40-year-old Céline said in the clip, obtained by The Daily Mail. “My main problem is not that I can’t do the highs, I’m spasming, my eyebrows are spasming, my ears. I tell you I’m gonna flip soon, I’m telling you.”

In a snippet shared by Entertainment Tonight from Céline’s documentary “I Am: Celine Dion,” the singer is seen lying on what seems to be a therapy bed. Doctors and therapists assisted her as she experienced a full-blown seizure. One of the men helping Céline asked her to squeeze the other one’s hand to test her dexterity, but her hands were frozen, like her face. 

Céline also sobbed and moaned in agony while her whole body was frozen as if she was sent into a catatonic shock. After administering a few doses of nasal spray, Céline relaxed, and her spasms stopped, sending her into a wave of sadness after the episode. 

According to the video, the spasm was triggered by overstimulation as she was just recording in the studio, thrilled by her progress. Director Irene Taylor revealed on Today that watching and filming the 8-minute-long footage was the “most uncomfortable she’s ever felt.” 

"I had this uncertainty whether to keep filming or not. But (Céline) gave me the strength to just keep going. We had been filming together for many months at that point, so she had really trained me, 'Just keep going. If I have to stop you, I’ll stop you.'"

Taylor continued talking about her experience working and seeing Céline in her vulnerable state. 

"Her body was enduring something that was unimaginable, and I wasn’t sure if she was aware of it," Taylor remembered. "I wasn’t sure if she was going to survive it. It’s really hard to even sit next to her and talk out loud about it because it was very intense."

Since Céline’s documentary aired on Amazon Prime Video, she was spotted in public again, this time making a special appearance at The Sphere in Las Vegas on June 28, 2024, for the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft, People reported. 

The “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” singer was tasked to announce the Montreal Canadiens’ fifth-round draft pick. Dubbed as the team’s “No. 1” fan, Celine looked vibrantly healthy as she wore a white V-neck dress while being accompanied by her eldest son, René-Charles Angélil. 

As she approached the microphone, she shared handshakes and cheek kisses with the team before addressing the applauding crowd. 

“I’m excited. (I’m) not even a hockey mom,” the Grammy-winning singer quipped before announcing Ivan Demidov from Russia as the Canadiens’ pick for the draft. 

After being announced, Demidov celebrated with his family after the announcement. He approached the stage and shook hands with Celiné and René-Charles before taking his new jersey. 

This was not the first time that Celine had expressed her support for the Montreal Canadiens. On Oct. 30, 2023, she was spotted watching the team jersey at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, against their match with the Vegas Golden Knights. Page Six described Celine as being in "tremendous spirits" as she entered the locker room after the game and greeted everyone. 

Fans were thrilled to see Celine in public and enjoying her life again despite her debilitating condition. They took to Instagram to express their love, and sent inspiring messages to her after her recent public appearance. 

“Greetings Celine. You look amazing. What's even more amazing is your strength and determination to keep on fighting,” one fan commented on Instagram. 

“She is my favorite! She’s so authentic, funny, caring, genuine and talented. Her suffering is so hard to watch. I hope she finds a miracle to take away all of her pain. ❤,” another wrote. 

What can you say about Celine Dion’s appearance? Isn’t she lovely? What are your wishes for her? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends and other Celine Dion fans out there!