7 things you didn't know about Celine Dion's odd marriage
Celine Dion's husband, René Angélil, died January 14, 2016, after a long battle with
cancer.
Angélil's death marked the end of one of Hollywood's most enduring relationships, which
began way back in 1980 when Dion was just a petite singer in Canada.
In honor of Angélil's legacy, we're revealing facts about the popular couple you may not
have known.
Our hearts will go on…
Celine met Rene when she was 12
Celine and René's relationship dates back to when she was just 12 years old.
At the time, Dion and her family sent a recording of her first song to Angélil, a successful
producer in Canada.
After hearing the recording, Angélil brought Dion in to sing for him in person.
The rest, of course, is history.
Angélil mortgaged his home to launch Dion's career.
Angélil managed her for five years before they developed feelings.
They began dating when Dion was 19, and Angélil was 45.
They waited to go public
Dion and Angélil kept their relationship—and 1991 engagement—a secret from the public
for five years.
Ultimately, Dion pushed to reveal their secret once and for all.
Their relationship officially became public in 1994 thanks to a message written in the
liner notes of Dion's multi-platinum CD, The Colour of My Love.
They were married in December that year.
Celine's mom didn't approve
In 2013, Dion admitted that her mother was opposed to her relationship because of Angélil's
past relationships.
Ultimately, Dion said that her family fell in love with Angélil over time.
Her mother "had no choice" but to accept him.
Extortion plot
In 2002, a woman named Yun Kyeong Sung Kwon claimed Angélil sexually assaulted her at
the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas, which Angélil denied.
It all turned out to be an extortion plot concocted by Kwon and her husband.
Kwon was sentenced to prison in 2004 on charges of extortion, while her husband received a
similar sentence a few months later.
They had trouble conceiving
Dion and Angélil struggled to get pregnant throughout their marriage.
They conceived their first child, son René-Charles, with the help of in-vitro fertilization.
The couple conceived again in 2010 but lost the baby to a miscarriage.
The couple finally conceived twin boys, Eddy and Nelson, via IVF less than one year later.
Health problems
Angélil's fluctuating health was an issue for a good portion of their marriage.
He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1999.
Dion took a full two years off from her career to take care of her husband.
In 2014, Dion postponed her Las Vegas residency and canceled her Asian tour indefinitely after
Angélil's cancer returned.
In 2015, Dion told Good Morning America that Angélil's health had gotten so bad, she had
to feed him herself three times a day.
Rene convinced Celine to sing "My Heart Will Go On"
(singing) "Near, far, wherever you are..."
"My Heart Will Go On," the Oscar-winning song from the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, remains
the most famous song of Dion's career.
But if it weren't for her husband, she might not have recorded it all.
Dion revealed in 2013 on The Jonathan Ross Show: " … I didn't really like the song,
at first.
I wasn't sure.
I did another song for a movie before.
It was very successful, and I thought we were pushing our luck."
Angélil ultimately convinced her to record a demo, which turned out to be the final recording.
Smart husband.
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