Céline Dion makes rare public appearance at Grammys amid ongoing health issues
It was her first public appearance in three months
Céline Dion has made her first public appearance in three months at the Grammys amid her ongoing health issues with stiff person syndrome.
Last night (5 February), fans were delighted to see the 'My Heart Will Go On' pop icon step out to the 66th Annual Grammy Awards to present the final award of the night - album of the year.
Céline herself won this exact same award way back in 1997.
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Walking up to the stage at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the 55-year-old five-time Grammy winner was welcomed with a touching standing ovation from the adoring crowd of fellow celebs.
Before announcing the hopeful nominees, the singer told the crowd: "Thank you all, I love you right back. When I say that I'm happy to be here, I really mean it from my heart."
She then told them to 'never take for granted' the joy that music can bring before announcing Taylor Swift as the winner.
This rare public appearance comes after Céline was last seen at a hockey game in Las Vegas between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Montreal Canadiens in November 2023.
The pop star was forced to cancel her world tour in December 2022, as she was struggling with stiff person syndrome, a neurological disorder which causes the body to attack its own nerve cells, impacting mobility.
Her older sister, Claudette, told 7 Jours: "She's working hard, but she doesn't have control over her muscles. What breaks my heart is that she's always been disciplined.
"She's always worked hard. Our mother always told her, 'You're going to do it well, you're going to do it properly'."
She added: "It's true that in both our dreams and hers, the goal is to return to the stage. In what capacity? I don't know."
Even though the singer is eager to continue with her career, due to the rarity of the condition and the little research done on it, it’s unknown how the illness will progress.
Claudette explained: "The vocal cords are muscles, and the heart is also a muscle. This is what comes to get me.
"Because it's one out of a million case, the scientists haven't done that much research because it didn't affect that many people."
However, there has been one overwhelming support in Céline's life since she candidly shared her diagnosis - her fans, who rushed to flood her family charity, Fondation Maman Dion, with messages and gifts in support.
Claudette shared: "Some people have lost hope because it's all illness that isn't well known. If only you knew the number of phone calls the Foundation gets about Céline! People tell us they love her and they're praying for her. She gets so many messages, presents and blessed crucifixes."
But the progression of the disorder has yet to be understood as despite working with ‘the top researchers in the field', there has been little improvement in her health, and it wasn’t long ago that Claudette revealed that they couldn’t find medicines that worked.
Rhiannon Ingle