Celine Dion suffers ‘unimaginable’ medical crisis in new documentary

Celine Dion is offering a candid glimpse into her life with stiff person syndrome through a newly released documentary. In this revealing film, the iconic singer faces a harrowing medical crisis during a physical therapy session, all captured on camera. Dion first disclosed her diagnosis of stiff person syndrome in 2022, revealing that she had been grappling with symptoms of this rare and progressive neurological disorder for 17 years.

“I need my instrument. And my instrument was not working. So we started to elevate the medicine,” Dion, 56, shared after struggling with hitting certain notes during her tours in 2018 and 2019. Despite completing her 2018 tour, Dion had to postpone several dates in 2019 initially due to a “common cold” before the pandemic forced a shutdown.

In 2022, Dion attempted to resume her tour, but ongoing health challenges led to continued cancellations and rescheduling, culminating in her decision to cancel all remaining appearances after publicly disclosing her diagnosis.

“I can’t lie anymore,” Dion confessed in the documentary. “From a sinus infection to an ear infection to whatever. Sometimes I would point my microphone toward the audience, and I would make them sing it. There’s moments where I cheated and I tapped on the microphone like it was the microphone’s fault.”

The documentary also captures a deeply vulnerable moment when Dion experiences a full-body spasm during a physical therapy session. While on a massage table, her foot cramps and soon her entire body seizes, rendering her unable to communicate with those around her. The camera continues to roll as a member of her medical team administers benzodiazepine nasal spray to alleviate her pain, capturing a distressing scene.

The documentary, titled “I Am: Celine Dion,” provides an intimate look at Dion’s ongoing struggle with stiff person syndrome, shedding light on the profound challenges she faces both personally and professionally.

Once the spasms have subsided – they typically last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour – Dion is able to sit up and speak.

“Every time something like this happens, it makes me feel so embarrassed,” she says. “I don’t know how to express it, you know, to not have control over yourself.”

Her physical therapist speculates the attack was brought on by being “overstimulated” from an earlier singing session.

“If I can’t get stimulated by what I love, then I’m going to go on stage, and you’re going to put the pulse oximeter on me and turn me on my back?” she wonders.

Dion hopes that one day soon she’ll be able to return to the stage. You can watch the harrowing footage of her seizure here.

This is an incredibly moving documentary to watch. I urge everyone, even those who aren’t a fan of Celine Dion to watch.