Singer Celine Dion's husband René Angélil, 73, has died on Thursday, Jan. 14 after many years of battle with throat cancer. He was survived by his wife, six children and seven grandchildren.
"Rene Angelil passed away this morning at his home in Las Vegas after a long and courageous battle against cancer," said Dion in her official website. The Canadian singer and manager Angélil was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1998 and then underwent a successful surgery to remove the tumor. The disease came back years later and was then diagnosed with terminal throat cancer in 2014.
Angélil's first wife was Denys Duquette, who gave birth to his first son Patrick in 1968. His second wife was Manon Kirouac, whom he had two children with, Jean Pierre in 1974 and Anne Marie in 1977.
Angélil and Dion met in 1980 but began their romantic relationship in 1987. The couple was engaged in 1991 and married on December 1994. They had three children together, René-Charles, 14 and the five-year-old twins Eddy and Nelson.
"It is impossible to overstate the impact René and of course, Céline have had on the history of entertainment in Las Vegas and at Caesars Palace, with his audacious vision regarding her residency, now 13 years and counting," Gary Selesner, president of Caesars Palace, wrote in a statement as reported by USA Today. "René was truly an amazing human being, showman and businessman, and over these many years became a loved and cherished member of the Caesars Palace family."
According to CNN, Dion cancelled her live shows this weekend at The Colosseum. The singer plans to perform again live on February 23.
"René says to me, 'I want to die in your arms,'" Dion told the audience during her Las Vegas performance in 2015. She also revealed her response to her husband. "'OK, fine, I'll be there, you'll die in my arms.'" Celine Dion and her husband René Angélil were married for more than 21 years.
