Celine Dion’s husband, Rene Angelil has passed away at age 73 after succumbing to throat cancer. In memoriam we look at the couple’s love story in pictures.
Rene’s death was announced early Friday morning by the couple’s rep. “Rene Angelil, 73, passed away this morning at his home in Las Vegas after a long and courageous battle against cancer,” the statement read. “The family requests that their privacy be respected at the moment.”
The couple of over 20 years had a remarkable love story, facing some of life’s toughest battles.
Rene, 26 years Celine’s senior, believed in her talent right from the start, and became her manager when she was just 13.
“I went to his office and I sang in front of him and I was 12 years old, and we’ve been working together since that time,” Celine recalled in 1995.
The pair fell in love and tied the knot on December 17, 1994, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
“I’m not surprised that we married each other, because we have the same dreams. We have the same goals. We respect each other,” Celine mused a year later.
Five years after their wedding, their lives took a dramatic turn when Rene, was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1999.
The iconic singer stayed true to her wedding vows from 1994 and is sticking by her husband in sickness and health.
Celine decided to halt her career, taking two years off to take care of husband. With his wife by his side, Rene underwent two operations and six weeks of radiation.
“When something like this happens to you it hits you so hard,” Celine said at the time. “But I felt very strong because I said to myself, ‘Rene needs me maybe for the first time in my life.'”
Rene was declared cancer free in 2000 and in celebration the couple renewed their vows at an Arabian nights-themed ceremony in Las Vegas. That year Celine revealed she was trying to conceive.
On the January 25, 2001 they welcomed their first child René-Charles Angelil. Nine years later they completed their family with twins, Eddy and Nelson.
The happy family’ life turned upside down in 2013, when Rene received a devastating phone call.
“I went back in my dressing room and I saw him looking pretty devastated and in shock, and I was like, ‘What’s going on?'” Celine told Good Morning America. “He sat down and said, ‘The doctor just called me and I have cancer again.'”
After this call, Celine knew she had to take an indefinite leave of absence from singing.
“I want to devote every ounce of my strength and energy to my husband’s healing, and to do so, it’s important for me to dedicate this time to him and to our children. I also want to apologise to all my fans everywhere, for inconveniencing them, and I thank them so much for their love and support,” she said in a statement to ET in August 2014.
The mother-of-three has since made a bittersweet return to Vegas, admitting to USA Today one of Rene’s final wishes was to die in his wife’s arms.
“I’ll say, ‘You’re scared? I understand. Talk to me about it,'” Celine confided. “And René says to me, ‘I want to die in your arms.’ OK, fine, I’ll be there, you’ll die in my arms.”
Our hearts go out to Celine and her boys. Take a look back at the incredible love and devotion shared between this phenomenal couple.
In the early hours of Friday morning, Celine Dion’s husband, Rene Angelil passed away surrounded by family at his home in Las Vegas. In a statement to People, the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner said, “Mr. Angelil, 73, died of throat cancer at his home in Henderson while under the care of a physician.” The couple of over 20 years had a remarkable love story, facing some of life’s toughest battles.
Rene, 26 years Celine’s senior, believed in her talent right from the start, and became her manager when she was just 13. “I went to his office and I sang in front of him and I was 12 years old, and we’ve been working together since that time,” Celine recalled in 1995. The pair fell in love and tied the knot on December 17, 1994, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Rene Angelil, husband of Celine Dion, loses battle to throat cancer aged 73
Five years after their wedding, their lives took a dramatic turn when Rene was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1999. In an effort to look after her husband Celine took two years off to focus on his health.
Rene was declared cancer-free in 2000 and in celebration the couple renewed their vows at an Arabian nights-themed ceremony in Las Vegas. A year later, on the January 25, 2001 they welcomed their first child René-Charles Angelil.
After such a tumultuous few years, the family could finally enjoy life. Nine years later they completed their family with twins, Eddy and Nelson.
The happy family’s life turned upside down in 2013, when Rene received a devastating phone call.
“I went back in my dressing room and I saw him looking pretty devastated and in shock, and I was like, ‘What’s going on? He sat down and said, ‘The doctor just called me and I have cancer again,'” Celine recalled to Good Morning America
After this call, Celine knew she had to take an indefinite leave of absence from singing.
Celine Dion opens about her husband’s cancer diagnosis
“I want to devote every ounce of my strength and energy to my husband’s healing, and to do so, it’s important for me to dedicate this time to him and to our children. I also want to apologise to all my fans everywhere, for inconveniencing them, and I thank them so much for their love and support,” she said in a statement to ET in August 2014.
Celine looks at Rene as her great love. On Father’s Day she said: “René, you are the best father a child could ever dream to have. And you are the best husband a woman could hope to share her life with. You teach us courage, determination, and integrity. We love you so much, more and more every day”
The mother-of-three has since made a bittersweet return to Vegas, admitting to USA Today one of Rene’s final wishes was to die in his wife’s arms. “I’ll say, ‘You’re scared? I understand. Talk to me about it. And René says to me, ‘I want to die in your arms.’ OK, fine, I’ll be there, you’ll die in my arms,” Celine confided.
Our hearts go out to Celine and her boys. Rest in peace, Rene.
Celine Dion Says Husband Rene Hopes to Die in Her Arms
