American superstar singer, Celine Dion's husband and manager, Rene Angelil dies aged 73 after long and courageous battle with cancer, just one month on from their 21st wedding anniversary.
47-year-old singer, songwriter and occasional actress, Céline 'Marie Claudette' Dion, has lost her husband and manger, René Angélil, who died after his battle against cancer on Thursday aged 73.
Angélil, who had fought cancer for almost 20-years, passed away at the couple's Vegas home just two days shy of his 74th birthday and one month after their 21st wedding anniversary on December 17.
In a statement posted to her official Facebook page, Dion said her beloved husband had a 'long and courageous fight against cancer. The family wishes to live the mourning in privacy.'
The 5-time Grammy winner was only 12 years old when twice-divorced René declared her a star and became her mentor/manager.
The singer was only 12 years old when René declared her a star and became her mentor/manager (pictured in 1982)
In 1981, he reportedly mortgaged his home to fund Celine's first record, La voix du bon Dieu and, by 1993, the French-Canadian couple went public with their romance.
Last March, a tearful Dion revealed her husband was no longer able to eat and was getting all of his meals through a tube. "He can't use his mouth. He can't eat so I feed him. He's got a feeding tube. I have to feed him three times a day. I do this myself. So I feed my husband, then I feed my kids," Dion told Good Morning America.
René leaves behind the couple's fraternal twins Eddy and Nelson, 5, and son René-Charles Jr., 15
By August, the Overjoyed hitmaker told USA Today that Angélil was preparing for his death. Recalling their conversation, Celine said: "I'll say, "You're scared? I understand. Talk to me about it." And René says to me, "I want to die in your arms." Okay, fine, "I'll be there, you'll die in my arms."'
René leaves behind the couple's fraternal twins, Eddy and Nelson, 5, and son René-Charles Jr., 15.
Angélil also has a son, Patrick, 47 (with ex-wife #1 Denyse Duquette), and a son, Jean-Pierre, 41, and daughter, Anne-Marie, 38 (with ex-wife #2 Manon Kirouac).