Celine Dion made a rare public appearance in Las Vegas on Monday amid her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis.
The singer, 55, was seen in public for the first time in over three years as she posed with fans after watching an ice hockey game between Montreal Canadiens and the Vegas Golden Knights.
Montreal’s vice-president of hockey communications Chantal Machabée took to her Instagram to share a video of Dion, who appeared in good spirits.
Machabée wrote alongside the post: “A great visit to our game in Vegas yesterday. Thank you Celine Dion for your generosity. The whole team was very happy to meet you and your family.”
The Titanic hitmaker attended the sporting event with her sons René-Charles, and twins Nelson and Eddy.
The Grammy award winner has kept out of the spotlight since announcing she was diagnosed with Moersch-Woltman syndrome, also known as stiff person syndrome, in 2022.
It is an autoimmune and neurological disorder that causes rigidity in the torso and limbs. Symptoms include stiffening in the torso and limbs, along with muscle spasms, which have affected Dion’s ability to sing and perform.
It is known to impact twice as many women as men, and is frequently associated with other autoimmune diseases such as vitiligo, thyroiditis and diabetes.
Scientists aren’t sure what causes the disorder, but research suggests that it might be the result of a faulty autoimmune response in the brain or spinal cord.
The My Heart Will Go On singer revealed in December that she had been diagnosed with the incurable neurological condition, which forced her to cancel her forthcoming tour dates.
Then in May of this year, Dion, 55, announced that she was cancelling the remaining dates of her world tour, saying that she was “working really hard to build back my strength” and was "not giving up”.
In a recent interview, her sister Claudette said “she’s doing everything to recover. She’s a strong woman," before adding to Hello! Canada: “There are spasms – they’re impossible to control.
“You know how people often jump up in the night because of a cramp in the leg or the calf? It’s a bit like that, but in all muscles. There’s little we can do to support her, to alleviate her pain.”
She also revealed that their sister Linda is living with the star at her Las Vegas home, which was “comforting for us all.
“We’re crossing our fingers that researchers will find a remedy for this awful illness,” she continued. “We love her for the person she is.”
Dion completed the first 52 dates of the world tour in North America before the Covid-19 pandemic paused the tour in March 2020, and in December she cancelled and rescheduled dates for her European tour, which was due to start in February this year.
At the time she said the spasms were affecting “her daily life” and creating issues for her mobility and vocal cords.
