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Celine Dion’s Kids Have Been Her ‘Rock’ Amid Her Stiff-Person Syndrome Diagnosis (Exclusive)

A strong support system. Celine Dion’s three sons have been a source of comfort to her amid her diagnosis with stiff-person syndrome.

Related: Celine Dion's Sweetest Photos With Her, Rene Angelil's 3 Sons: Family Album

“Her kids have been her rock … the twins are very mature for their age and René-Charles checks in and dotes on his mom all the time,” a source exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly, calling the Canada native, 54, “an eternal optimist.”

The insider added: “Celine received this diagnosis fairly recently; she’s been suffering the symptoms for quite some time, but it always baffled her what was wrong. It came as a shock, but she’s lost none of her fighting spirit and is comforted that at least she knows exactly what she’s dealing with now and there’s comfort that she can alleviate some of the symptoms by getting treatments that are specific for this condition.”

Dion shares her sons — René-Charles, 21, and twins Nelson and Eddy, 12 — with her late husband, René Angélil. The producer and talent manager died of throat cancer in January 2016. He was 73.

The Grammy winner previously shared how the twins — who were 5 when their father passed — helped her feel close to Angélil after his death.

Related: Stars Who Have Tragically Lost Their Significant Others Through the Years

Celine Dion’s Kids Have Been Her ‘Rock’ Amid Her Stiff-Person Syndrome Diagnosis
Celine Dion. David Fisher/Shutterstock

 

“Every night, we kiss him good night,” the “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” artist said during a May 2016 appearance on ABC news. “Eddy starts. Two fingers, one finger. And he said, ‘I love you Papa, so much. Happy Easter. Happy Halloween. Happy Christmas. … I love you so much. I miss you.’”

She continued: “So Nelson goes, and he repeats almost the same thing, but he adds more stuff. And then I do the thing, too, and I [say], ‘Good night, my love.’”

Related: Celine Dion and Rene Angelil's Complete Relationship Timeline

Despite Dion’s recent health struggles, the “Power of Love” musician is focusing on the positives.

“I have a great team of doctors working alongside me to help me get better and my precious children, who are supporting me and giving me hope. I have hope that I’m on the road to recovery. This is my focus and I’m doing everything that I can to recuperate,” she told fans via Instagram earlier this month after announcing that she is battling the “very rare neurological disorder.”

Celine Dion’s Kids Have Been Her ‘Rock’ Amid Her Stiff-Person Syndrome Diagnosis
Celine Dion and her sons. Courtesy of Celine Dion/Instagram

 

In the emotional video, the “My Heart Will Go On” singer explained that muscle spasms, a symptom of the disease, “affect every aspect of my daily life sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to.”

The Grammy winner also announced that she had rescheduled and canceled a number of 2023 and 2024 performances.

For more on Dion’s health struggles, pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now.

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