CELINE Dion shed tears during her comeback performance at the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony on Friday.
Celine left fans speechless after her first performance in two years following her battle with Stiff Person Syndrome.
Celine closed the Opening Ceremony by performing at the Eiffel Tower.
The iconic singer wore a sparkly white dress as she sang in French despite dealing with her health issues.
She also had her hair slicked back in a low bun and makeup perfect as she sang Edith Piaf’s L’Hymne à l’amour.
‘SO PROUD’
As Celine performed, fans flocked to X to share their thoughts on her emotional performance.
“Celine looked amazing! I’m so proud to see you up there,” said one.
A second said: “This is so legendary.”
“What a performance by our queen Celine. She worked so hard to be able to sing again,” said a third.
Someone said: “After everything she’s been through, this is something wonderful and beautiful to see. Celine Dion. An inspiration.”
THE ICONIC OPENING
On Friday afternoon, countries from all over the world gathered in Paris, France to celebrate the big event.
Many A-list celebrities were in attendance, including Ariana Grande, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, and Snoop Dogg.
American singer Lady Gaga opened the show with a French cabaret and sang Mon Truc En Plumes, by Zizi Jeanmaire.
This year’s Olympic athletes proudly waved their country’s flag as they traveled down the River Seine and ended at the gleaming Eiffel Tower.
Team USA was the second-to-last country to arrive, with Paris last.
NBA star Lebron James and tennis player Coco Gauff held the massive American flag as nearly 600 proud Olympians cheered for their country.
The Olympics will run for 16 days on NBC with a variety of sports including gymnastics, archery, beach volleyball and surfing.
Stay up to date on all things Olympics with our live blog.
ARRIVING IN PARIS
This is not the first time that Celine has appeared at the Olympics.
She performed at the 1996 Atlanta, Georgia Games, where she sang The Power of the Dream.
Celine, 56, was rumored to be performing at the games for the first time when she touched down in Paris on July 22, just days before her performance.
The singer waved to her fans and appeared in good spirits upon arriving at the Royal Monceau hotel.
This is the first time Celine has performed publicly since canceling her 2023 tour.
Celine was diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome in August 2022 and it has affected her ability to sing and tour.
What is stiff person syndrome?
Celine Dion stepped out of the spotlight after being diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease
Stiff person syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that progresses over time.
The condition causes pain and muscle spasms that worsen over the years.
The condition is characterized by “progressive stiffness and painful spasms in the back and limbs, which are often triggered by touch, noise or anxiety and exacerbated by movement,” according to Contact A Family, a charity for families of children with deficiency.
There is currently no cure, but death from the disease is rare.
Sometimes, severe chest spasms can cause difficulty breathing.
Stiff Person Syndrome is a condition that causes muscle stiffness and spasms throughout the body.
SHOCKING DIAGNOSIS
Celine announced in December 2022 that she was diagnosed with SPS earlier that year.
She made an emotional video on Instagram saying she needed to cancel her tour and why.
“Hello everyone, I’m so sorry it took me so long to get in touch with you. I miss you all so much and I can’t wait to be on stage talking to you in person,” Celine said as she sat in a chair in the house her.
The singer went on to say that she was finally ready to talk about her medical condition.
“I have been facing health problems for a long time and it has been very difficult for me to face my challenges and talk about everything I have been through,” he continued.
“I was recently diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called stiff person syndrome, which affects one in a million people.”
She explained that she was having spasms that were affecting her vocal cords.
Celine then told her followers that she had to cancel the rest of her tour dates.
“All I know is singing, it’s what I’ve done all my life and it’s what I love doing most,” she concluded.
However, Celine revealed that she was working with a team of doctors to help her overcome the pain.
‘BACK ON THE HORSE’
In addition to the Olympic Games, Celine is also planning a comeback in Las Vegas.
Sources exclusively tell The US Sun that she is planning a limited run of shows this fall.
Rumor has it that Celine will perform her biggest hits in a 70-minute show.
US Sun has learned that the shows will likely take place at the Resorts World Theater around the time of the Las Vegas Formula 1 Grand Prix.
A source revealed that if Celine’s health worsens, the plan is to postpone the residency.
Concert promoter AEG would host the shows, with a “short duration at first” to see if Celine can handle performing live.
A source told The US Sun that Celine, who lives in Sin City, has been rehearsing with musicians and speech therapists for the past eight months.
“His desire to get back out there and have fun has been a huge driving force in his health battles,” the source said.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story