Following the sad death of Celine Dion's husband René Angélil, we take a look back at some of the couple's happiest moments, which they shared exclusively with HELLO! magazine. One of the family's most precious times was the arrival of their twin sons Nelson and Eddy in 2010, and they could not wait to introduce their boys to the world just seven weeks after their birth.
Ahead of celebrating one of their happiest Christmas' to date, the couple invited HELLO! into their Florida home, where they discussed their joy at welcoming their baby boys after a lengthy fertility struggle.
"I'm especially happy to have these two kids in the house, in my life – it's just extraordinary," Celine said at the time. "The house is surrounded with love."
© Photo: HELLO!Celine and René introduced their twins exclusively in HELLO! magazine
The My Heart Will Go On singer also praised her husband for the support he gave her with parenting the eldest son René-Charles (RC), who described his father as "the best dad in the world". Celine was in the hospital for ten days following the premature birth of her twins, and nine-year-old René-Charles struggled to adjust to the change to his routine.
"He couldn't sleep at night and you'd wake him up in the morning and he'd be so tired," Celine remembered. "One night I was on the phone with René and I could hear RC in the background. I said to René, 'It's 10 o'clock and he's not asleep.' René said, 'Hold on.' So he puts me on hold, goes into the kitchen and says, 'RC, it's 10 o'clock, hon.'
"My son said later that he could see in his father's face that he was going to tell him to go to bed. But, instead, René said, 'You know what, RC? It's too late for you to go to school tomorrow, so you don't have to go.' And RC said, 'Didn't I tell you that I have the best dad in the world?' It made my husband cry, it made me cry.
© Photo: HELLO!The couple opened up about their dramatic IVF journey in 2010
"I said to René, 'This is what I’m talking about! You are not only a great dad, you're doing the mum's job, too!' I was so proud. I get emotional thinking about it."
The Think Twice singer also shared her wishes for the future with the magazine, telling HELLO! "I wish for my husband to be healthy and for us to be together forever."
While Celine sadly didn't get her wish, she will surely be comforted by the special memories she and René shared together during their 21-year-marriage.
© Photo: HELLO!Rene was Celine's mentor and husband
So determined were the couple to welcome a sibling for their son René-Charles, Celine and René went through six rounds of IVF before their youngest children were conceived. The pair opened up about their journey and hopes for their long-awaited arrivals in another HELLO! exclusive in October 2010.
"There's no goal for me except that I want them to healthy first of all. And grow up knowing that they're loved," Celine said of her dream for her twins. "For me, that's the greatest success in the world – to know that you're loved and you're healthy and you're balanced.
"That's our goal for them. And they're already a healthy weight! We're very proud of that."
© Photo: HELLO!René described the birth of their son Rene-Charles as a "miracle"
As for René, who already had three children from his first marriage, Celine's pregnancy served to show him that he has an infinite capacity for love.
"Throughout the pregnancy, I was happy for her," René said. "But when they made me cut the cord, it was a miracle. I understood what a miracle is."
Not only was René a loving husband and father, he also acted as Celine's mentor, championing her as an artist. His pride was clear to see in the HELLO! cover capturing Celine's celebrations after winning the Diamond Award at the 2004 World Music Awards; a gong only given to outstanding artists who have sold over 100 million albums in their career.
© Photo: HELLO!Celine and René renewed their wedding vows in 2000
A partnership that stood the test of time for almost 30 years, René explained the secret to their unwavering love in an interview with HELLO!
"I needed her," he said. "And she needed someone like me. We found each other and we never let go."
