Céline Dion Hugs Emotional Son Rene-Charles Before She Performs at Olympics in New Behind-the-Scenes Video

Rene-Charles and Celine Dion
René-Charles and Céline Dion. Photo: Dave Allocca/StarPix/Shutterstock 

Céline Dion was thankful for her son René-Charles’ support at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

On Friday, Aug. 16, the Canadian singer, 56, shared an Instagram post with a behind-the-scenes look at the prep work that went into her July 26 performance of “Hymne A L’Amour” by French singer Édith Piaf onstage at the base of the Eiffel Tower.

The performance marked a surprise return and her first performance since she announced her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis in December 2022.

In the clip, the “Power of Love” singer included footage of herself in front of a hotel being greeted by her adoring fans, some of whom arrived with balloons for the global superstar.

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Celine Dion
Céline Dion performs in Paris in July 2024.IOC via Getty 

Next, the clip shows her changing into her dazzling Olympics Opening Ceremony dress, which took Dior more than 1,000 hours to create. The silver design featured around 1,640 feet of beaded fringing.

Dion also showed footage of herself in the hair and makeup chair, sitting in front of a bright vanity with a smokey eye for her glam.

The “I’m Alive” singer showed her flexibility with pre-show stretches.

After her accessories were added, it was time for her to hit the stage.

As Dion exited her dressing room, she acknowledged her team along the way with fist bumps before getting to René-Charles, 23, who was waiting for her at the base of the stage riser.

Her oldest, who she shared with her late husband René Angélil, was visibly shaken in the clip as he watched his mother’s epic return to the stage.

After a sweet embrace, Dion began her performance.

Celine Dion and her 3 sons go to a hockey game together
Celine Dion and her 3 sons go to a hockey game together.Celine Dion/ Instagram 

Speaking to PEOPLE ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in June, the “My Heart Will Go On” singer said her sons — René-Charles and 13-year-old twins Nelson and Eddy — fuel her to fight stiff-person syndrome.

“I barely could walk at one point, and I was missing very much living. My kids started to notice. I was like, ‘OK, they already lost a parent. I don’t want them to be scared,’ ” she told PEOPLE.

In 2016, Angélil died from throat cancer at the age of 73. Angélil and Dion had been married since 1994.

“I let them know, ‘You lost your dad, [but] mom has a condition and it’s different. I’m not going to die. It’s something that I’m going to learn to live with,’ ” she continued.

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The rare, incurable condition caused Dion to suffer from excruciating muscle spasms, and difficulty walking and breathing for years before she was diagnosed with SPS. Her symptoms became so debilitating that she canceled a planned Las Vegas residency, as well as tour dates in late 2021 and 2022.

Though the Paris Olympics was her first performance since the diagnosis, she did make a surprise appearance to present Taylor Swift the album of the year award at the Grammys in February.

“I miss it so much. The people, I miss them,” Dion said of working. “If I can’t run, I’ll walk. If I can’t walk, I’ll crawl … I won’t stop.”

Her in-depth documentary, I Am: Céline Dion, is now streaming on Prime Video.

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