When Céline and René became lovers and decided to get married, they already knew that the age gap would likely result in René passing years before his loving wife. She was just 20 when they got married, while he was 47 at the time. Their first child came when he was 57, and the twins arrived when he was already 67 years old with a history of physical illnesses. It’s no surprise that René passed away just 6 years later, but their older son and twins will always remember their loving father.
After René passed away from throat cancer in 2016, Céline explained how she prepared her children for their father’s eventual early death: “I’m proud of the way I prepared my boys for their dad’s death. In life, you never know what’s going to happen, so you should never wait for tomorrow to do what can be done today, to say I love you, or send a thank-you note…The future is now.” Nowadays the twins are teens, with her oldest son in his twenties. Céline herself is currently in her fifties and healthy, so it looks like she’s going to be spending many more years of her life with her beloved family, and perhaps even get to see a few grandkids along the way.
Using Her Wealth to Help Relieve Global Catastrophes
Céline Dion was always known as a charitable and loving person, and her true colors showed when she decided to intervene after various global catastrophes and help out citizens. Céline Dion dedicated a special Mother's Day performance of her famous and highly successful Las Vegas show titled "A New Day..." and made sure to send all the proceeds to help victims of the Asian Tsunami in late 2014. "Like everyone else in the world, I've been devastated by the loss and suffering of so many in South Asia," said Céline. "As a mother, I cannot imagine the pain that they are experiencing. We can all see that it's going to take a long time for those people to rebuild their lives, and they will need our help for years to come."
She later donated another $1 million to the American Red Cross for the purpose of helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina, which hit Florida and Louisiana, causing massive damage and more than 1,200 deaths. She later went on to criticize the United States government for what she perceived as a lack of interest on its part to save citizens while sending troops in the thousands during the Iraq War.
Céline’s Father Was a Huge Part of Her Life
While Céline Dion's mother, Thérèse Dion, was known by many and even launched her media career using the attention she received from helping her daughter, Céline's father, Adhémar-Charles Dion, wasn't nearly as known. Adhemar Dion died at 80 years old after being sick for a long time. Dion and her family were present in the funeral as many fans shouted words of support at her and brought hundreds of flower bouquets. Her father helped provide for the family of 14 children when they were still in a bad financial situation.
Adhémar Dion worked a variety of jobs from forestry to general labor. Some say that he was one of the singer's greatest fans, as described by Michel Jasmin, a popular TV host in Quebec: "He was transformed when Céline stepped on the stage," Jasmin said. "He went from her father to a fan. It was incredible to watch. I saw it time and again." Céline also spoke highly of her father often. She said in an interview on the day of his passing: “My dad was and is still my number one fan since I was a very little girl. I know that my dad would want me to be here tonight on stage with everyone I love, doing what we love.” Her first son’s middle name is the same as her father’s.
Her Son Already Has Many Admirers
It's no secret that Céline Dion has built herself a large mass of followers, fans and even admirers. Even today at over fifty years of age, the singer looks sharp and very alluring, and maintains much of her younger personality and beauty. It was only expected that she and René would end up having beautiful children, and their son, René Charles Angélil, grew up to be quite a handsome young man. Being the son of one of the best selling and most beloved female singers of all time does have its perks, especially when she has an amazing personality as in the case of Céline Dion.
When the then-15-year-old René-Charles presented his mother with an award at the Billboard Music Awards, many of the viewers instantly became admirers of the handsome boy. Many of these admirers didn't know that he was just 15 years old, let alone the son of Céline Dion herself. Fans jokingly said that they are waiting until he turns 18 so they can finally get their hands on him, which goes to show you just how well the genes have passed through the family. One fan joked on Twitter: “Shawn Mendes is 17, Céline Dion’s son only FIFTEEN. Thanks #BBMAs for making us all feel like fat old perverts.”
Her Mother Is Over 90 Years Old!
Céline Dion's mother, Thérèse Tanguay-Dion, was born in early 1927 and grew up to become the mother of 14 beautiful children. She started having kids in 1946 at the age of 19, and kept getting pregnant almost every year until her last daughter, which happens to be Céline Dion, was born in 1968. This could almost bear the impression of winning a lottery, with her last child being worth almost $800 million and all the fame that surrounded. She was born on the Gaspé Peninsula, in Saint-Bernard-des-Lacs, Quebec and lived in Charlemagne, Quebec for most of her life.
Thérèse Dion became her daughter's biggest supporter and helped almost every stage of the young singer's career. This proximity to the fame and media helped her launch her own career as a media personality, from a line of food products to becoming the host of a cooking show for TVA. She is currently 92 years old. On her 90th birthday, Céline posted a picture of the event and posted in both English and French: “What a privilege for all of us to still have you around. Happy 90th birthday mom! We love you.”