Celine Dion says 'the burden was too much' as she reveals why she hid her stiff person syndrome diagnosis

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Celine Dion recently admitted that she kept her health struggles to herself for years.

The ‘My Heart Will Go On’ crooner suffered from stiff person syndrome for 17 years, as per RadarOnline report.

Dion revealed her diagnosis in December 2022, though she had known about her condition for almost two decades.

Celine Dion shares why she finally revealed her stiff person syndrome diagnosis

The six-time Grammy winner opened up about the ‘burden’ of keeping the secret to herself during a recent interview. 

“I could not do this anymore. Lying for me, the burden was too much,” Dion told host Hoda Kotb.

She admitted one of the reasons she didn’t share her diagnosis earlier was her late husband Rene Angelil who died of throat cancer in 2016. 

“We did not know what was going on. I did not take the time…I should have stopped, took the time to figure it out,” she said.

“And like it wasn't enough. My husband as well is fighting for his own life. I had to raise my kids, I had to hide, I had to try to be a hero – while feeling my body leaving me. I was holding on to my own dreams,” Dion explained.

“Lying to the people who got me to where I am today. I could not do it anymore,” she referred to the time she finally went public in December 2022. 

In a preview, Kotb also talked to her co-hosts about her interview with Dion. "She had it for 17 years and she didn't know what was wrong and she was worried. Her voice was gone, her body was failing her, she was tripping and falling, all these things were happening,” the tv personality said.

In another interview, Dion shared how it felt to be battling stiff person syndrome, “It’s like somebody is strangling you. It’s like somebody is pushing your larynx and pharynx.”

She added, “It’s like you’re talking like that, and you cannot go higher or lower.”

Internet stood by Celine Dion for keeping her stiff person syndrome a secret for years 

Netizens supported Dion for choosing to not share with fans about her health issues.

One person defended Dion for hiding her diagnosis, "If it is true so what? It's her right!!"

"Ans so what? You think it's even easy for someone to expose her health status. All I know is that Celine Dion will survive this stiff problem," another agreed.

A person wrote, "No she did not hide it."

"She’s so strong. A true legend," a user commented.

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