Celine Dion’s Public Appearance at Golden Knights Game Sparks Hope for Stage Comeback

Posted on: November 1, 2023, 12:10h. 

Last updated on: November 1, 2023, 06:45h.

Corey Levitan Read More

Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Entertainment, Expert Insight, Las Vegas, Restaurants, Las Vegas Myths.

Celine Dion made a very rare public appearance this week — her first in more than three years — that gives her fans hope that their idol will one day return to the concert stage.

The Las Vegas icon, whose two Caesars Palace residencies grossed $681M and were seen by more than 4.5M fans, appeared in the locker room of the Montreal Canadiens on Monday following the NHL team’s 3-2 loss against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena.

A video posted to Instagram by the Canadiens shows Dion and her three sons, René-Charles and twins Nelson and Eddy, greeting Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis, though every team member reportedly received a personal hello.

Dion, 55, grew up worshipping the Canadiens in Charlemagne, Quebec, 15 miles outside Montreal.

Dion Speaks About Illness

In the video, Dion, who donned a winter vest and workout suit, seemed to move with perfect ease and without pain as she posed for photos. This observation is relevant because she suffers from Stiff Person’s Syndrome, a rare and progressive neurological disorder marked by stiff muscles that spasm painfully and uncontrollably when triggered by noise and emotional distress.

Unfortunately, the spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to,” Dion said in a tearful video announcing her diagnosis in December 2022.

The disorder forced Dion to indefinitely delay her concert residency at Resorts World, which was scheduled to begin on Nov. 5, 2021, and to cut short her Courage World Tour, which was slated to run through April 2024.

Their Hope Will Go On

Though there is no known cure for Stiff Person’s Syndrome, Dion said in a statement on May 26, 2023, that she’s “working really hard to build back my strength,” suggesting that she is fighting the disorder and that it’s possible to win temporary battles against it.

Seeing Dion appearing so healthy and happy on social media gave fans hope that, as officials from AEG Presents, which books Resorts World have previously stated with confidence, she will return to the stage next year.

“C’est Celiiineeeeeee !!! The Queen is backkkk” posted Instgram user @Jojoc680 beneath the Canadiens’ video.

“She’s looking good,” added @marie_guy10. “As someone with stiff person condition, I am so happy to see her doing well ❤️ wishing you the best Celine!”

Multiple Dion Myths Busted

Dion’s appearance dispelled four pesky rumors about the Canadian superstar…

1. That she’s dying of her disease. 
This one was rampant enough for Snopes.com to weigh in.

2. That she no longer lives in Las Vegas.
Though she and her three sons could have flown in from anywhere, the most likely explanation is that Dion still resides in the house in Lake Las Vegas, where she lived for decades with her late husband, René Angélil. However, she did sell a more recently obtained Vegas property in May 2023.

3. That Dion and her son, René-Charles, are no longer on speaking terms.

4. That Dion is a Vegas Golden Knights fan.
This rumor, also addressed by Snopes.com, was started by the Golden Knights themselves. On June 21, 2021, a photo of Dion was displayed on the team’s Jumbotron, which was doctored to make it look like Dion wore the team’s gear.

In June 2023, Casino.org debunked one of the most pervasive Las Vegas myths concerning Dion — that she helicoptered to and from her Caesars Palace residencies.