In an emotional interview with ABC’s Good Morning America, the Canadian songstress, 48, told how she urged music mogul Renee, 73, whom she first met as a budding singer aged just 12, to “go in peace”, saying: “You were worrying for my career. You were worrying for the children. You were worrying for everything. It’s enough. Do you trust me? Please do. Trust me.”
Celine said that she had broken news of Renee’s death to the couple’s three children René-Charles,15, and five-year-old twins Eddy and Nelson, and had by comparing it to the movie Up.
“I said, ‘do you remember the movie Up?‘ It’s one of our favourites, and they said ‘Oh yes, Elie went up with the balloons,’ and I said ‘well, you know, today Papa went up, because Papa was very sick.’”
“Up is a good thing. Up is uplifting.” she added.
Watch: Celine Dion pays tribute to her late husband – story continues below
‘The Power of Love’ singer told how she took her boys outside to spread what she called ‘pixie dust’ and release balloons into the sky.
She recalled telling her sons “We’re gonna say, ‘Papa, we love you. Have a good up,’ and we’re gonna spread this, and it’s gonna go to him.”
Vowing to stay strong for her family, Celine said in a separate interview with People magazine: “I’m 48 years old and I lost the love of my life. I miss him a lot from when he was great but not when he was suffering. I cannot be selfish. You have to let people go. I feel at peace.”
“He left me with all of his strength. Every day we live with him, just not physically. I’m thankful that he does not suffer anymore.”
Celine pictured with Rene and her sons, Rene-Charles and twins Nelson and Eddy. Photo: Getty
