Current:Home > InvestCéline Dion says private stiff-person syndrome battle felt like 'lying' to her fans-InfoLens
Céline Dion says private stiff-person syndrome battle felt like 'lying' to her fans
View Date:2024-12-23 11:49:51
Céline Dion is opening up about the moment she finally decided to share her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis.
Dion, who was diagnosed in 2022, said in an NBC interview set to air Tuesday that she felt like she was "lying" to her fans.
The Grammy-winning singer told "Today" host Hoda Kotb in a preview of the interview that she initially pushed through early symptoms because of her responsibilities as a wife to late husband René Angélil, who died in 2016 from throat cancer, and as a mom to three sons René-Charles, 23, and her 13-year-old twins, Nelson and Eddy.
Dion said she "did not take the time" to figure out her own health concerns. "I should have stopped."
Celine Dion talks stiff-person syndromeimpact on voice: 'Like somebody is strangling you'
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
"My husband as well was fighting for his own life. I had to raise my kids. I had to hide. I had to try to be a hero. Feeling my body leaving me, holding onto my own dreams," she said of her private battle. "And the lying for me was … the burden was too much."
The "My Heart Will Go On" singer added that she could not handle "lying to the people who got me where I am today."
Stiff-person syndrome, or SPS, is a rare "neurological disorder with features of an autoimmune disease," the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke notes.
"It's a disease that's characterized by progressive muscle stiffness, muscle spasms, rigidity – typically in the muscles of the back, specifically the lower back, as well as the upper legs," Dr. Kunal Desai, a Yale Medicine neurologist and assistant professor of neurology who specializes in neuromuscular disease, previously told USA TODAY.
The disease causes "progressive muscle stiffness and painful spasms" that can be triggered by environmental factors such as "sudden movement, cold temperature or unexpected loud noises," Johns Hopkins Medicine said.
Vogue France:Celine Dion talks accepting stiff person syndrome diagnosis, first meeting husband at 12
In another preview clip shared from the NBC interview on Friday, Dion said the diagnosis has had a significant impact on her voice.
"It's like somebody is strangling you," she told "Today" host Hoda Kotb in a preview of the interview. She added that when she tries to make her voice lower or higher, it results in a spasm.
The hourlong interview will air on NBC, her first televised interview since her diagnosis.
Dion is set to release a documentary that shows behind-the-scenes of her health battle later this month.
"I'm working hard every day, but I have to admit it's been a struggle," she said in the trailer, which sees her working toward being able to perform live again. "I miss it so much, the people. I miss them."
She continued: "If I can't run, I'll walk. If I can't walk, I'll crawl. But I won't stop."
Contributing: Taijuan Moorman
veryGood! (5)
Related
- Justice Department sues to block UnitedHealth Group’s $3.3 billion purchase of Amedisys
- Sweet emotion in Philadelphia as Aerosmith starts its farewell tour, and fans dream on
- Spanish officials to hold crisis meeting as 40th gender-based murder comes amid backlash over sexism
- Takeaways from AP’s reporting on efforts to restore endangered red wolves to the wild
- Drone footage captures scope of damage, destruction from deadly Louisville explosion
- DeSantis super PAC pauses voter canvassing in 4 states, sets high fundraising goals for next two quarters
- Racism in online gaming is rampant. The toll on youth mental health is adding up
- A poet of paradise: Tributes pour in following the death of Jimmy Buffett
- Jessica Simpson's Husband Eric Johnson Steps Out Ringless Amid Split Speculation
- How heat can take a deadly toll on humans
Ranking
- Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow's Son Moses Martin Reveals His Singing Talents at Concert
- Reshaped Death Valley park could take months to reopen after damage from Hilary
- Week 1 college football winners and losers: TCU flops vs. Colorado; Michael Penix shines
- Iga Swiatek’s US Open title defense ends with loss to Jelena Ostapenko in fourth round
- Solawave Black Friday Sale: Don't Miss Buy 1, Get 1 Free on Age-Defying Red Light Devices
- Every Real Housewife Who Has Weighed in on the Ozempic Weight Loss Trend
- Up First briefing: A Labor Day look at union fights, wins and close calls
- Secession: Why some in Oregon want to become part of Idaho
Recommendation
-
Bodyless head washes ashore on a South Florida beach
-
Good to be 'Team Penko': Jelena Ostapenko comes through with US Open tickets for superfan
-
Acuña 121 mph homer hardest-hit ball of year in MLB, gives Braves win over Dodgers in 10th
-
Biden and Trump are keeping relatively light campaign schedules as their rivals rack up the stops
-
'Joker 2' actor pans DC sequel as the 'worst film' ever: 'It has no plot'
-
CNN's new Little Richard documentary is a worthy tribute to the rock 'n' roll legend
-
Driver survives 100-foot plunge off cliff, 5 days trapped in truck
-
Spanish officials to hold crisis meeting as 40th gender-based murder comes amid backlash over sexism