Celine Dion Emotionally Reveals Husband René Angélil Was in “Agony” for Years Before His Death

In January 2016, Celine Dion lost her beloved husband, René Angélil, when he passed away at age 73. René, who had been Celine’s manager since she was just a teenager, battled throat cancer for several years before he died of a heart attack. Now, in a new interview with The Project, the 49-year-old singer-songwriter has revealed that the love of her life spent his last years in “agony.”

“For three years my husband did not have a sip of water or food. He was eating through a tube,” Celine told journalist Lisa Wilkinson in the emotional new interview. She added, “The only thing I hoped while he was in three years of agony — I wanted him to live in peace. I wanted him to feel so light and no worries. He had a little heart attack, it’s so quick, he didn’t even feel anything. I thought that he was like liberated from his pain.”

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The “My Heart Will Go On” hitmaker also explained how René, whom she was married to for 21 happy years, continues to occupy her whole world today. “He taught me everything. He’s the only man I’ve seen. He’s the only man I’ve loved. I’ve never kissed another man in my life,” she admitted.

Though René passed away more than two years ago, Celine recently explained that she’s still very much in a state of mourning. “I think I will probably grieve for the rest of my life,” Celine told The Sun. “René has prepared me for all my life since I’m 12. I have never met another man in my life, never kissed another man in my life.”

“I miss him a lot. I miss him a lot — for my partner, for the man I was embracing, kissing, making love with. My worries, my dreams ,” Celine continued. When pressed as to whether she could ever move on with another love, Celine explained that she isn’t ready yet. “Now it is definitely too soon for me,” she said. “I am definitely in love with [René], married to him.”

“He’s the love of my life,” she continued. “It’s very difficult for me to see myself with another person. The love that I have for him, I live it every day. And as a woman, we do have emotions and feelings that come and go. And it’s always with him.” The couple shared sons René-Charles Angélil, 17, and twins Eddy and Nelson Angélil, 7.

This post was written by Candice Mehta-Culjak. It originally appeared on our sister site, Now to Love.