Celine Dion gave a speech at a screening of her documentary film, I Am: Celine Dion, on Monday, and was overcome with emotion while addressing the audience. She was met with a standing ovation as she took the stage to introduce the film, and she was moved to tears by the outpouring of love and support.
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Her speech lasted 10 minutes, during which she needed to pause and collect her emotions multiple times. “I have so much gratitude to welcome all of you this evening,” she began. “This is by far the biggest crowd I’ve had in a few years.”
Fighting back tears, she continued, “I cannot believe how fortunate I am to have my fans in my life. Thank you.” According to a report from Music News, her eldest son, René-Charles Angélil, was on hand for support, as he passed her a tissue to dry her tears.
“Thank you to all of you, from the bottom of my heart, for being part of my journey,” Dion continued. “This movie is my love letter to each of you. I hope to see you all again very, very soon.”
During the screening, it was announced that the Celine Dion Foundation had made a donation of $2 million to the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. The donation established the Celine Dion Foundation Endowed Chair in Autoimmune Neurology, a position which Dion’s neurologist, Dr. Amanda Piquet, will be the first to hold.
Celine Dion Unveils New Documentary, Donates Millions to University Medical Campus
I Am: Celine Dion will debut on Prime Video on Friday, June 21. The documentary chronicles Celine Dion’s battle with Stiff Person Syndrome, which is a rare neurological disorder causing stiffness and muscle spasms.
Dion first revealed her diagnosis in December 2022, and subsequently cancelled her residency and upcoming tour dates. Since then, she has made rare public appearances and has all but stopped singing, as it causes immense pain for her to vocally perform.
She laid low for most of 2023, but this year made a return to the spotlight with an appearance at the GRAMMY Awards. As she took the stage to introduce an award, she was met with a standing ovation and struggled with her emotions then as well.
“When I say I’m happy to be here, I really mean it from my heart,” she said at the time. “Those who have been blessed enough to be here at the Grammy Awards must never take for granted the tremendous love and joy that music brings to our lives and to people all around the world.”
Featured Image by Cindy Ord/Getty Images
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