Céline Dion surprises at the NHL Draft – NBC Boston

Originally published on E! Online

A new day has dawned for the National Hockey League and Céline Dion was there to ring it in.

The singer made a surprise appearance on stage at the first round of the NHL Draft in Las Vegas on June 28. It was her first appearance since the release of her documentary “I Am: Céline Dion,” which documents her battle with stiff person syndrome and was released this week.

Wearing a white button-down shirt and a cream-colored skirt, the “My Heart Will Go On” singer walked onto the Sphere stage with her eldest son, 23-year-old René-Charles Angélil, to cheers from the crowd. The Canadian singer then announced the Montreal Canadiens’ fifth pick, 18-year-old Russian hockey player Ivan Demidov.

“I was very happy to announce the Montreal Canadiens’ selection in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft!” Dion, 56, wrote in French on her Instagram account, posting a picture of herself, Canadiens officials and Demidov posing for photos in the background. “Congratulations to Ivan Demidov!”

The “A New Day Has Come” singer added: “Thank you to the Canadiens for the invitation and to the NHL for taking such good care of my family… we had a lot of fun!”

Dion has rarely appeared in public since announcing her diagnosis of stiff person syndrome in December 2022, a rare progressive neurological disorder that causes her to experience muscle spasms.

Almost a year later, the singer, who had not performed a concert for over four years, performed with René-Charles and her twin sons Nelson and Eddy (13) at a Canadiens game in Las Vegas, where she lives and has given two concerts in the last two decades.

Last February, Dion and her children also faced another Canadian NHL team, the Edmonton Oilers, in the Nevada city. The five-time Grammy winner also made a surprise appearance on stage at the 2024 Grammys, where she was also accompanied by her eldest son.

Angélil also accompanied his mother to the premiere of the documentary “I Am: Celine Dion” on June 17 in New York City, more than a week before the film began streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

“For a long time – for so many years – I have felt the love and support of my fans around the world,” Dion told E! News exclusively at the event. “They have helped me get to where I am today.”

At the screening, the singer became emotional as she shared a personal message with her fans: “I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for being part of my journey,” she said. “This film is my love letter to each and every one of you. I hope to see you all again very, very soon.”

Céline Dion gives viewers an insight into her battle with stiff person syndrome. In her powerful new Prime Video documentary “I Am: Céline Dion,” the legendary singer speaks openly about her life with the rare neurological autoimmune disease and tells the story of her life.