Céline Dion has suffered a lot of heartbreaking losses in her life. In November 2003, her father, Adhémar Dion, died. In January 2016, she lost her husband and longtime love René Angélil. Two days later, the superstar's brother, Daniel, died on what would have been René's birthday. Now, Céline is faced with loss again. Her mother, Thérèse Tanguay Dion, died on January 16. She was 92 years old.
Céline opened up about this most recent loss during a concert in Miami, Florida. She took to the stage at AmericanAirlines Arena on the same day of her mother's passing. "I’m pretty sure that you heard the news about my mom passing away early this morning," Céline said in fan footage obtained by TMZ. "But I’m doing OK."
Céline's strength and grace at life's most difficult moments is just another reminder of why we love her. She's able to pour herself into the music that comforts so many, even when she's the one needing comfort.
Céline Dion isn't unfamiliar with loss. After losing so many of the people closest to her, the superstar has shown an incredible and admirable strength to keep pushing forward. She needed to channel that strength yet again upon the death of her mother.
Thérèse Tanguay Dion died on January 16 after months of failing health. The mother of 14 was 92 years old. She passed away on the fourth anniversary of the death of Céline's brother, Daniel. It also would have been the birthday of Céline's late husband, René.
Fans expected Céline might take some time off in the wake of the loss. She took to Instagram to let fans know the show would go on. "Maman, we love you so much," Céline wrote. "We dedicate tonight’s show to you and I’ll sing to you with all my heart."
When she took the stage that night, Céline addressed her mom's final hours. "I’m pretty sure that you heard the news about my mom passing away early this morning," Céline said to the crowd. "But I’m doing OK."
"My mom was 92," Celine continued. "She was ill for quite a while. And we knew she wouldn’t be with us long. Two days ago, we got a call from the nurses who were taking care of her so well, saying that her time was coming soon. Very soon."
"So last night, I joined my brothers and sisters in Montreal and I spent the evening at her bedside," she said of their final night together. "We told stories. We sang songs. We hugged each other. And we said our goodbyes."
"We are pretty sure that mom waited for us to be all together before [she passed]," Céline noted. "I know for sure she'd want me to be the best of myself tonight. And I also know that she wanted all of you to have the time of your lives."
"You know, my mother loved to laugh," she recalled. "She loved to dance. She loved to sing. She was a musician. She played violin. She wrote my first song."
"Music was such an important part of our lives. It's because of her and my dad that I became a performer. So tonight, on behalf of my brothers and sisters and all of the family, we would love to dedicate this show to her."
Céline and Thérèse were tremendously close. In 2016, Celine spoke about how she helped her mother through the death of Céline's brother, Daniel, two days after the death of her own husband. "René escorted my brother; it was perfect," she told People.
Céline continued to explain that if her brother had died first, she wouldn't have been with her children when René passed. "He took him under his wings, and he said ‘You know, I’ll take good care of him,'" she continued. Then she detailed how hard that time was for her mom.
"It was hard for my mom," Céline explained. "I said, ‘You know what Mom? You gave birth and you took him back. You took his hand from the beginning to the end.'" Céline went on to explain that she would want to be there to comfort one of her children if they were dying before dealing with her own feelings.
Prior to her mom's death, Céline posted a photo of René to honor his memory. "There is not a day that goes by without me thinking about your beautiful smile," she wrote. "We miss you, thank you for watching over us my love."
Céline has spoken a lot about René as she's promoted her Courage album and tour. The album is her first English album since his death. It's also her first world tour since ending her Las Vegas residency, which was difficult because her kids didn't join her this time around.
"To bring my children to understand ‘Don’t look for dad,’ that made me strong," she told People. "All the little things, and the big things, they have to make you stronger,” says the star. “Otherwise you don’t understand the meaning of life itself."
