Celine Dion’s husband René Angélil has passed away at 73

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More sad news today. Celine Dion’s husband of 21 years, René Angélil, has passed away after a long battle with throat cancer. He was 73. Celine was open and honest with the press about her husband’s health issues, and shared her fears at losing him along with her gratitude at having him in her life. René is survived by his three children with Celine along with three adult children from an earlier relationship.

“Rene Angelil, 73, passed away this morning at his home in Las Vegas after a long and courageous battle against cancer,” the rep said in a statement. “The family requests that their privacy be respected at the moment.”

Angélil, who guided Dion’s career as her manager and mentor, is survived by the couple’s three children – René-Charles, 14, and 5-year-old twins Nelson and Eddy – and his adult children from a previous relationship, Anne-Marie, Patrick and Jean-Pierre.

[From People]

Celine told People Magazine in August that she was being strong for her husband and children and that she was doing her best to be there for them. They’ve all gone through so much. Our thoughts go out to Celine and her family at this difficult time.

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Rene Angelil

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68 Responses to “Celine Dion’s husband René Angélil has passed away at 73”

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  1. Flounder says:

    So sad, but I’m glad he is at peace.

  2. notsoanonymous says:

    Such sad news this week. They say it comes in threes, I sure hope this is the end of the losses.

    • yolo says:

      I JUST said that on Alan Rickman’s post…ughhhh…

    • Nancy says:

      Someone reminded me that Natalie Cole passed away also. That makes 4…..hope that ends it for awhile. Death is inevitable, but geez, this is sad.

    • InvaderTak says:

      Not as famous, but Brian Bedford, who was the voice of Disney’s Robin Hood died as well. He was 80, also died of cancer. I love that movie. Man, all the movies I’m going to watch this weekend are in memoriam. Drinks all around.

      • Cee says:

        i can’t believe how many are dying of cancer. Even my 16 year old Irish setter succumbed to it.
        I hope one day cancer becomes the influenza.

      • DIRTNAP says:

        And the wonderful actor who played Grizzly Adams. That makes 8. : (

        That’s it. I’m officially over 2016. Wake me up in 2017.

    • holly hobby says:

      7 the actor who played Grizzly Adams died of cancer as well. That popped up on my facebook feed this am.

  3. Pinky says:

    I’m sorry to hear this. Thoughts and prayers to her, their family and kids, and his kids and family.

  4. Rita says:

    Since a child, Celine’s purpose in life was and is to sing and he has been so important to her destiny. Her eyes are always so sincere and well intended. Her three young sons will give her strength. The magnitude of her loss reflects the magnitude of his gift. Remember what Garth Brooks said:
    “I could have missed the pain, but I would’ve had to miss the dance”

    and what an incredible dance it was. Love to Celine.

  5. My Two Cents says:

    May he rest in peace. She said his wish was to die in her arms. I hope it happened that way. They seemed to have so much respect and love for each other. So sad when the time comes to part. I just heard a phrase earlier that so touched me. It was “don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened.” forget the author’s name but it was profound to me.

  6. BendyWindy says:

    How sad for them.

  7. vauvert says:

    The three adult children (older than Celine, actually) are from his first marriage. Previous relationship makes it sound like he had baby mamas when in fact he had a wife before her. I always shaded them both for hooking up when he was married, and older than her own dad. That being said, she adored him, and she and the family have my sincere condolences.

    • Dani says:

      Um…while this is all true and relevant, the dude literally JUST died. How about we let him rest in peace before we start trashing their relationship. JFC. People can’t even die quietly these days.

      • Nicole says:

        When you have three wives and leave the second for someone you met and managed when she was 12, people are going to mention that right up to and beyond your dying day.

  8. Edie says:

    That’s it, you’ve done enough damage for the week, Universe, you’re done.

    I cannot imagine the depth of her’s and their sons’ sorrow tonight. I can only speak to losing a parent and damn is it hard, losing your partner, I can’t even contemplate it. I hope she finds comfort and peace, grief is a fickle beast. xx

  9. Jegede says:

    Damn! Cancer is on some fatal mission this 2016. Condolences to Celine

  10. Dani2 says:

    Oh my goodness, wow, she talked about this happening and I’ve been sad for her ever since, poor Celine and those poor boys, 2016 is really something else I swear.

  11. Lama Bean says:

    This is insane. Three in 2 days???? So sad.

    May he and others rest in peace.

    • Jwoolman says:

      Sometimes I think people hang on until after major holidays. Maybe because family is more likely to get a chance to visit.

      • Veronica says:

        That’s exactly what happens. People don’t want their death to overshadow the memory of the holiday, and it’s usually the last chance they get to see extended family before they go. There’s a reason why January is a VERY busy month for hospitals.

      • Annika says:

        @jwoolman:
        I agree 100%.
        I work in hospice & see that frequently.

      • Andrea says:

        My best friend is a funeral director and he has been very busy lately. He always says people hang on until Christmas and after that, everyone either passes away or occasionally commits suicide.

    • Dani says:

      My mom always said ‘death comes in threes’ 🙁

  12. Kiki says:

    Cancer takes no prisonera huh? My condolences for Celine Dion and Family.

  13. KCat says:

    Damn. Evey time I turn on the computer. This is so sad. They really loved each other.

    • original kay says:

      It’s beginning to feel that way, I don’t want to even look anymore.
      freaking sad, this week as been. I feel for all the families 🙁

  14. Nancy says:

    I feel bad for her. In her early career it was always the whisper in the crowd how much older he was than she. But love has no age requirements and she loved him deeply and always credited him for her success. She has her memories and her children and as “they” always say time helps heal the wounds. IMO, it doesn’t, it just becomes more bearable as time goes by. RIP Rene. Yet another angel has seen the face of God.

    • Josephine says:

      I think the whispers had to do with the fact that she was 14 when he started to manage her, and I think he was supposed to be a friend of her parents. Not sure how much is true about when they first got together, but I remember well the rumors about being groomed at a young age.

  15. minx says:

    You could tell they really loved each other and they built a very successful life together. Can’t ask for more.

  16. Snowpea says:

    They’re dropping like flies 😓

  17. Amelie says:

    While it always weirds me out he met her when she was 12, they didn’t start dating until she was of age and were married about 2 decades and had 3 kids together. Seems like they both loved each other deeply despite the age gap. I hope the kids will be okay, especially the older one who will more clearly remember his father than the young twins. Cancer is just terrible.

  18. word says:

    Very sad news for his wife and children. This will surely be a very difficult time for them. I’ve been there so I know it’s a tough road.

  19. Tiffany :) says:

    My thoughts go out to her and her family. You can tell there was a lot of love there.

  20. The Eternal Side-Eye says:

    Seriously, fuck cancer.

    • Liberty says:

      x11000000000000000000000000000

    • Little Darling says:

      Seriously. This past April I lost my person. My best friend/sister-cousin who was more than a sister more than just family. And she was 4 years younger than I, passing away at the age of 35. I still haven’t wrapped my head around what my poor sweet girl had to endure in her brief fight with breast cancer. It’s Inhumane.

      I’m seriously scared for us because it’s clear we are doing so much to accelerate this disease. When I was growing up the number of people who had cancer that you actually knew wasn’t nearly as high as it is today. Now everyone has most likely been personally affected by this atrocious disease.

      And then you have people like Belle Gibson who lie about having it. I. Can’t. Understand.
      http://jezebel.com/belle-gibson-blogger-who-lied-about-having-cancer-jus-1715566234

      I’m so sad for Celine, but she’s always seemed to be a strong cookie and in glad that she got to spend the time with him knowing how precious it really was. Hopefully there is a sense of peace and closure around it.

      • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

        I’m so sorry about your person, Little Darling. So very young. Sometimes it’s hard to believe the unfairness of life. My heart goes out to you.

      • Little Darling says:

        Xo Gnat. The loss we all feel from this disease that robs of us our loved ones too soon is very real.

        All my love and prayers to everyone else sharing how cancer has touched them too.

  21. liz says:

    RIP- what a week of sad news!

  22. JRenee says:

    Gosh, this has been a rough week and a rough month. My sympathy is extended to Celine and all of his children.

  23. InvaderTak says:

    What a sad week. Condolences.

  24. sensible says:

    I am coming up to the first anniversary of my dad’s death from cancer treatment last February and hearing about all these lovely men dying at the same age as him is very hard , it is so hard for families. I do believe that the good and kind and sensitive die young and the sociopaths go on forever because the less sensitive your are to the world around you you are, the less stress on the body.

    • Belle Epoch says:

      SENSIBLE you just lived up to your name! I never put it all together like that but you are absolutely right. Thank you for that insight. My parents are like Mr & Mrs Voldemort – and my father lived to 96, and my mother is still alive at 94, making her caregivers cry. Both completely lack(ed) empathy and are/were convinced that the job of the universe and everyone in it is/was to serve them. They also had money, so they didn’t worry about a thing. At least Rene had a pretty long life. It kills me when young innocents go first.

      • Liberty says:

        amazing comment, sensible, and you know, thinking about it, I have to agree you may be onto something. 🙁

        What a horrid week. As was posted above, f**k cancer.

    • Jess says:

      I hear ya. These passings have been so hard to bear as my dad was just diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer the week before Christmas. Found out last week that he has 4 small tumors in his brain as well. He’s right around Bowie and Alan Rickman’s age too – currently 66 and says he just wants to make it to 70. I don’t know how I can exist in a world that doesn’t include my dad.

      • sensible says:

        I am sorry to hear that Jess, it is not an easy journey, but love is love whether they are with us here or not I think.

    • extracookie says:

      I wish it was that easy. I am fortunate because I do know enough good and kind older people to question this theory.

  25. Betsy says:

    My sympathies to Celine and the family. They seemed very much in love and she is the soul of gracious.

  26. m says:

    I hope he was able to go in her arms, just like he wanted.
    My condolences to Celine and his children, I hope they find the strength to get through this horrible time.

  27. dAsh says:

    This is so sad. May he RIP.

  28. Anniesha says:

    Deepest condolences to the bereaved family and friends of René Angélil. I hope that Céline’s request, which was posted on Twitter by her PR, for privacy and solitude during this arduous time of loss and mourning is respected.

    https://twitter.com/celinedion/status/687748744356458496

  29. Sarah01 says:

    im shocked another death caused by Cancer.
    May his soul rest in peace and his loved ones take comfort in knowing he isn’t suffering anymore. It was a pretty long illness.
    I saw my Grandfather suffer so horribly that honestly death was a kind of mercy.

  30. Betti says:

    RIP – my prayers to Celine and their family. I know he had been ill for a few years but still you can never prepare for something like this.

  31. GoodNamesAllTaken says:

    I hope he died in her arms as he wished. I can’t imagine what she’s going through.

  32. Lucy2 says:

    How very sad for Celine and his children, especially the younger ones who didn’t have much time with their father.
    He was very sick for a long time, hope he is at peace.

  33. WinnieCoopersMom says:

    I dont care what anyone says about their age gap. They shared a beautiful love story together, witnessing each others’ lives. To say a person is not allowed to love someone just because they were born a while before/after the other – or to suggest it is wrong – is simply small-minded. My heart goes out for Celine.