How Celine Dion used Disney’s Up to explain her husband’s death to their children
The iconic singer describes the heart-wrenching way she comforted her kids after their father's passing...
It’s a situation no parent ever wants to face – trying to tell your kids that a loved one has passed away.
And when Canadian singer Celine Dion’s husband, Rene Angélil, recently died at the age of 73 from throat cancer, she found herself having to explain his passing to their 5-year-old twins, Nelson and Eddy.
In a heart-wrenching video interview with ABC News, later shown on Good Morning America, Celine explained how she used the themes of the Disney Pixar movie Up as a way to help them understand such a devastating loss.
Describing what she told her children, she said:
"Do you remember the movie Up?
“Well, you know, today, papa went up, because papa was very sick.
“’I said ‘Is papa in the kitchen? Is papa in the living room? Papa is not in his bed anymore. Papa is not coming back. Where’s papa again?’ to make sure they had it.
“The only thing I wanted is for them to say is 'up'. 'Up' is a good thing. 'Up' is uplifting.
“You know the pixie dust? Well, come with me. I bought a lot of that.
"We’re going to go outside right now before it gets dark. We’re going to make a wish, we’re going to talk to papa, we’re going to send balloons right now, and we’re going say ‘papa, we love you, and have a good up.’
“We’re going to spread [the pixie dust] and it’s gonna go to him.”
No, we’re not crying. You’re crying ?
She also explained that she wanted them to understand that their father was sick, but that they shouldn’t be afraid of the doctor, and that they should celebrate the fact their dad was no longer in pain.
Rene began managing Celine’s musical career in 1981 and the couple married in a beautiful ceremony in 1994. They also have a 15-year-old son together, named Rene-Charles.
We can only imagine how Celine feels at this difficult time – we’re sending lots of love her way.
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