In a devastating moment from “I Am: Céline Dion,” the famous person battles through an unexpected and horrifying SPS episode.
Fans are getting an unheard-of glimpse inside Céline Dion’s tribulations during the last few years of her life.
After being diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome in August 2022, the 56-year-old superstar tentatively but proudly returns to the recording studio in a devastating sequence towards the end of her new documentary, I Am: Céline Dion (available for streaming globally on Prime Video).
Shortly after, as part of her continuous treatment regimen, she makes her way to physical therapy and her foot starts to hurt.
Dion’s body locks up, indicating that she is in severe agony while her care team gives her a diazepam nasal spray during the SPS crisis episode. One of her teammates says, “We’ll do a 9-1-1 if she goes back into a spasm.”
In the movie, Dion subsequently remarks, “Every time something like this happens, it makes you feel so embarrassed.” “I’m not sure how to say it. You know that you dislike losing control of yourself?
The five-time Grammy winner thought back on the horrifying moment that director Irene Taylor’s crew captured on camera during her PEOPLE cover interview.
“Overstimulation—whether it be happiness, sadness, sound, or a surprise—can put me into a crisis—that’s one part of the [SPS] condition,” Dion explains, adding that she “did not see” the crisis episode coming that day. “Before something triggered, I was fine.”
Taylor’s understanding of the condition deepened when she was “two feet away” from Dion during the crisis.
Taylor remarks, “That was really amazing, not just for Céline to go through it, but for me to see as well.” “I continued to film because that is how I work, and I thought we would decide later whether or not to incorporate that into the movie.”
Dion and Taylor had developed a close relationship by the time the movie was in post-production, and according to Taylor, “I knew that putting it in the film was really not a risk because she believed in me at that point.” “I really can only thank her for that because she is an open book, was there, and didn’t hold anything back.”
Dion is attempting to humanize the uncommon illness through the movie and contribute to fund-raising efforts for scientific studies in the pursuit of a solution.
Neuropathy has a very broad spectrum. For this reason, I’m making a lot of effort to raise money so that people can speak with their husbands, friends, or neighbors about it,” Dion explains.
Adds Dr. Amanda Piquet, the doctor who diagnosed Dion and director of the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus’s program on autoimmune neurology: “There are many exciting things in store for SPS, and the future looks bright.”
I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO DIDN’T GET AN INVITE TO MY CLOSE FRIEND’S WEDDING — WHEN I CRASHED IT, I FINALLY UNDERSTOOD WHY.
The air in the elegant ballroom hung heavy with the scent of lilies and unspoken words. Guests, dressed in their finest attire, buzzed with excitement, their conversations a low hum against the backdrop of soft music. I stood frozen at the entrance, an invisible ghost amidst the throng of well-wishers.
My name was Sarah, and I was crashing my best friend’s wedding.
It had all started with a casual conversation. “So, have you heard?” my friend, Emily, had gushed, her eyes sparkling. “Amber and Ben are getting married!”
“Amber? Oh my god, that’s wonderful!” I’d exclaimed, feigning excitement. But a seed of doubt had been planted.
Weeks passed, and invitations arrived for everyone I knew – everyone except me. I tried to convince myself it was an oversight, a simple mistake. Maybe the invitation had gotten lost in the mail. Maybe Amber was planning a special surprise for me. But as the wedding date drew closer, my hopes dwindled.
The day of the wedding arrived, and I found myself inexplicably drawn to the venue, a grand old mansion overlooking the lake. Dressed in a simple black dress, I slipped in unnoticed, blending into the crowd of elegantly dressed guests.
The room fell silent as I made my way through the throng of people. Whispers followed me, a hushed murmur of disbelief and pity. I felt eyes boring into me, judging, analyzing. I had never felt so alone, so utterly invisible.
Then, I saw her. Amber. Standing at the altar, her face radiant, her eyes sparkling with happiness. But the moment our eyes met, the joy in her eyes vanished, replaced by a look of sheer terror.
And then I saw him. Her groom.
My breath hitched. It was David. My ex-boyfriend.
The memories came flooding back – stolen kisses, late-night conversations, promises whispered in the dark. David, with his charming smile and his infectious laughter, had been my first love. We had been inseparable, until he abruptly ended our relationship, citing a need to “find himself.”
The betrayal, the hurt, the shattered pieces of my heart – it all came rushing back. So this was why she hadn’t invited me. She had been afraid I would ruin her wedding, would expose their secret, would remind everyone of the man who had broken my heart.
The room seemed to spin. I felt a wave of nausea wash over me, the festive atmosphere suddenly suffocating. I turned and fled, disappearing into the night, the sound of their wedding vows echoing in my ears, a cruel reminder of the love I had lost, the trust I had betrayed.
As I walked away, I vowed to never forgive them. Never to forgive Amber for her betrayal, for the way she had used me, for the pain she had inflicted. And never to forgive David for the hurt he had caused, for the way he had shattered my heart and then moved on, without a single backward glance.
The night air was cold and unforgiving, a reflection of the icy pain that had gripped my heart. But as I walked, I knew that I would heal. I would learn to forgive, not for their sake, but for my own. I would move on, stronger, wiser, and more cautious. And I would never again allow myself to be blindsided by the betrayal of those I trusted.
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