Céline Dion attended the New York premiere of her new documentary, I Am: Céline Dion, on Monday and got emotional while addressing the audience.
“This is, by far, the biggest crowd I’ve had in a few years,” she laughed during her introduction of the film, which chronicles her battle with stiff-person syndrome, an autoimmune neurological disorder. “I miss that.”
The “My Heart Will Go On” singer, who was ethereal in an all-white look for the evening, praised the film’s director, Irene Taylor, for telling her story with “such feeling and tenderness” and her neurologist, Dr. Amanda Piquet, for having “replaced my fear with hope.”
Dion also shouted out her three children — sons René-Charles Angelil, 23, and twins Nelson and Eddy, 13 — for their “daily love and support.”
“I love you very much,” she added after she thanked each of them by name.
Dion said she was proud to share the film with fans, saying, “Your presence in my journey has been a gift beyond measure. Your never-ending love and support over all these years have delivered me to this moment.”
“I cannot believe how fortunate I am to have my fans in my life. Thank you,” she added as her eldest son brought her a tissue to wipe her tears. “Thank you to all of you from the bottom of my heart for being part of my journey. This movie is my love letter to each of you.”
Dion ended her speech with a promise to her fans, saying, “I hope to see you all again very, very soon.”
Also on Monday, it was announced that the Celine Dion Foundation has pledged $2 million to establish the Celine Dion Foundation Endowed Chair in Autoimmune Neurology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
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