Celine Dion was diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome in 2022, a little-known neurological disorder that nearly took her life.
Ahead of her upcoming interview with the singing sensation, Hoda Kotb spoke on Thursday aboutHoda and JennaDion said he “nearly died” while battling the disease.
“Celine Dion said at one point, she’s a lot better now, but at one point she almost died. It was a terrifying time,” Kotb said, recounting details of her conversation with the award-winning singer.
“It was a frightening time.”
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Celine Dion “nearly died” during her battle with stiff-person syndrome. (CBS Photo Archive)
“She was diagnosed with a terrible illness and at one point she wondered if she was going to survive, if she was going to make it,” Kotb said.
“A lot of people are wondering what happened, what went wrong,” he said, before asking Dion about a “possible comeback.”
“We’ve missed her and it was a very emotional interview,” Kotb said. “We’ll see how far she goes in her return, but I know everyone is rooting for her.”
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Dion recently returned to the spotlight for the first time in months. Grammy Awards She has been primarily focusing on her health since revealing in February that she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that can cause muscle spasms and movement disorders.
Celine Dion presented Taylor Swift’s album ‘Midnights’ with the Grammy Award for Best Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards in February. (Kevin Mazur/Recording Academy via Getty Images)
of “Power of Love” singer Dion was originally scheduled to perform a limited run of her Courage World Tour at Resorts World in 2021, but by January 2022, she announced she had to cancel a string of concert dates after “severe and persistent muscle spasms” made it impossible for her to perform.
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Dion revealed she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome in an emotional video she shared online at the end of the year.
Stiff-person syndrome is defined by the Cleveland Clinic as “a rare autoimmune movement disorder that affects the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).” People with the condition tend to first develop stiff core muscles, and then over time, the legs and other muscles in the body become stiff and rigid.
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Because the autoimmune disease can cause muscle spasms and affect motor function, Dion has postponed her concerts until the 2024 season.
“Although we are still learning about this rare disease, we now know that it is the cause of all the spasms I have,” she said. “Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes making it difficult for me to walk and sometimes preventing me from using my vocal cords to sing as I normally would.”
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The singer’s upcoming documentary, “I Am: Celine Dion,” will focus on Dion’s love of the stage and her struggle to continue performing despite her diagnosis, and a tearful image is seen in the film’s trailer.
Celine Dion announced in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome. (Simone Joyner/Getty Images)
“I work hard every day, but it’s been hard, to be honest,” she said. “I really miss it. I miss the people.”
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“If I can’t run, I’ll walk. If I can’t walk, I’ll crawl. And I won’t stop. I won’t stop.”
The film, directed by Eileen Taylor, will be available on Prime Video from June 25th.
