Céline Dion Bravely Prepares for Life Without Her Beloved Husband

Céline Dion is determined to show her ailing husband — and her fans — that her heart will go on.

The superstar singer’s husband, René Angélil, has been struggling with a devastating third bout of throat cancer (his first occurred in 1999) and it turned serious enough for Céline to put her career on hold — canceling a tour and postponing her residency at Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace.

She’s put on a brave face throughout, but just days before returning to Vegas on Aug. 27, Céline surprised fans with a heartbreaking admission: “René says to me, ‘I want to die in your arms.’” Céline says she responded, “OK, fine, I’ll be there, you’ll die in my arms.”

Céline and René in September 2006.

It seems the vocal legend is finally coming to terms with René’s illness, which is sadly nearing an end. “We have asked [doctors] many times, ‘How long does he have? Three weeks? Three months?’ René wants to know,” says Céline, 47. “But they say they don’t know.”

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What she does know is that while René, 73, is still with her, she’s going to live every moment to its fullest. “If you’re alive, have a good day,” she says. “Because today is the most important day of your life.” Her positive outlook is a sign that Céline has “come to accept the eventual outcome of his battle,” says New York psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert. “She knows that she needs to be
strong for her kids and strong for him as well.”

To read the full story on Céline, pick up the new issue of Closer Weekly, on newsstands now!