Celine Dion: 'I miss my husband terribly'

The "My Heart Will Go On" singer recounts her experiences dealing with Rene Angelil's illness and the pain of losing him.

Celine Dion recently gave an interview to People magazine's May special edition. The diva spoke for the first time about the passing of Rene Angelil from cancer, saying she experienced unimaginable pain. However, the 48-year-old singer had to appear strong for her children: "I really wanted to show them that their mother is strong."

Celine Dion and her husband, Rene Angelil. Photo: Beimages.

For Celine Dion, work became a safe haven. She returned to music shortly after her husband's death and maintained her shows in Las Vegas, USA. The "My Heart Will Go On" singer is preparing for a European tour this summer. She will return to Las Vegas to perform in September.

"Rene always said the show needed to go on. At 48, I lost the love of my life. I miss him terribly. I miss the times he was amazing, not the times he was suffering. I can't be selfish. Everyone has to leave eventually. I feel at peace."

Celine Dion recounted caring for her husband during his illness: "It was a very long journey. We lived in hope, then knew there was nothing left to hope for. There were times when I was very scared, and he wrote to me these lines: 'The end is near. I can feel it.' Now I know that a person can sense death approaching."

Four months after Rene Angelil's passing, Celine Dion says she still finds life difficult without him. "We always feel his presence every day. I'm glad he's finally free from pain," the pop diva confided.

The 48-year-old singer is trying to forget her pain through work. Photo: People.

The couple first met in Montreal, Canada, when Celine Dion was just 12 years old. They lived together for 21 years and had three sons.

Rene Angelil – Celine Dion's manager and mentor – battled cancer three times, forcing Celine Dion to temporarily halt her career and return home to care for her husband. In 1999, Rene Angelil was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer. In December 2013, doctors removed the tumor, but the cancer returned in 2014.

René Angelil passed away on January 14th at the age of 73 from throat cancer. His funeral was held on January 22nd at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Montreal, Canada – the same church where Celine Dion and René Angelil were married in 1994.

According to VNE