How the 7 Tragic Struggles That Céline Dion Faced Shaped Her Into the Strong, Big-Hearted Woman She Is Today

At 54 years old, superstar Céline Dion serves as the greatest proof that the challenges life throws our way end up making us stronger versions of ourselves. The widowed mother of 3 has had her fair share of troubles and heartbreaks over the years. But today, she is a thriving, accomplished woman who is more than ready to face what the future brings to her with open arms and a wide smile.

She grew up underprivileged.

She is one of the most affluent celebrities of our era, however, Céline Dion came from humble roots and is totally self-made. She explained that as a child, their house was overcrowded, saying, “I did not have a bedroom.” She also added, “We were 3, 4 in the same bed.”

But despite being poor, Dion had a good childhood surrounded by her family’s affection. She once noted, “We were given love and affection and support. What else did we need?”

She wasn’t comfortable in her own skin.

Growing up, Dion felt like an outsider at school. She revealed that she didn’t want to leave her house and felt insecure about her teeth. The star explained that not being an A+ student or having the coolest looks, and the trendiest outfits would make it very difficult for her to fit in with her peers. That’s why she used to opt to stay home over going out.

She lost her mentor and the love of her life.

In 2016, the star lost her beloved husband of 21 years, René Angélil. Aside from the powerful love that they had for one another, Angélil was also her mentor and manager. She had put her career on pause to stand beside her husband when they first found out that he was diagnosed with cancer in 1999.

6 years after his passing, Dion’s love is still very strong for her late husband, and she shared these words on her Instagram: “I would be lying if I said I’m fine, I think of you at least a hundred times, cause in the echo of my voice I hear your words just like you’re there.”

She has also lost many members of her family.

The songstress, who is very close to her family, had to endure the loss of many loved ones throughout the years. She lost her dad in 2003 with whom she had a very close bond. She once shared, “Papa, I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have had a dad like you. You will always be my #1 fan. I love you!”

In 2016, only 2 days after losing her husband, Dion had yet to confront another tragic loss in her family, the passing of her brother, Daniel.

Moreover, in 2020, the singer lost her 92-year-old mother, who she was very close with and referred to as her role model. She once wrote, “Maman, if I could be half as strong as you are, this would be my biggest accomplishment.”

Motherhood wasn’t an easy road.

Dion is the mother of 3 boys, but she had to conquer a lot of challenges to have her kids. In fact, all her children were conceived via in vitro fertilization. The songstress and her husband tried for 6 years before turning to a fertility clinic for help conceiving her eldest, René-Charles, at 33.

And almost 10 years later, Dion was about to become a mom again, this time to triplets. But she revealed that she lost one of them while still pregnant, saying, “He chose to let go to give space to his brothers to grow.”

Her voice was temporarily gone.

In 2012, Dion had to face what could be described as a singer’s worst nightmare: the loss of her voice. In fact, the star had to cancel her Vegas shows after contracting a virus that inflamed her vocal cords. She explained, “I tried to sing at my sound-check last week, and I had no control of my voice whatsoever.”

However, the performer revealed that losing her voice wouldn’t mean the end of the world for her. She explained, “I don’t depend on my vocal cords. I don’t depend on my success and my singing.” The mother of 3 added, “I love what I do. But I don’t hold on to that. When you have children, you have accomplished a lot.”

It’s not easy to be in the limelight.

As one of the world’s biggest stars, Dion is constantly in the public eye, and her looks are a constant topic of discussion. And a few years ago, the star felt the need to address her weight, which was being commented on a lot.

She explained, “People say, ’She’s a lot thinner,’ but I’m working hard. I like to move.” She added, “Everything’s fine, nothing’s wrong.”

And after hitting 50, it seems that the star has used her past experience and all her struggles as fuel to “discover” her true self and thrive even more. She noted, “My life started over at 50; I feel happy, I feel beautiful.” The star admitted that she doesn’t let other people’s opinions slow her down. She said, “I’ve reached a point in my life where I can let myself make my own decisions and choices.”

In 2019, the icon proudly stated, “It’s never too late to start. At 51, I have the sense that I am at my pinnacle!”

What do you think of Céline Dion’s journey? Do you think that the challenges and struggles we face help us forge a stronger personality?