LAS VEGAS — Amid an ongoing battle with an incurable neurological condition, singer Céline Dion made a rare public appearance this week while attending an NHL game with her sons in Las Vegas.
After the game between the Golden Knights and her hometown Montreal Canadiens, the legendary singer went into the locker room to greet the team.
Video posted online by the Canadiens included a conversation she had in French with head coach Martin St-Louis, who recounted the time he saw Dion sing in front of Pope John Paul II at the Olympic Stadium in 1984.
"We've changed a little since then, but not too much," Dion joked, according to the video's English translations.
She also chatted with some of the players and encouraged them to "just stay healthy, strong, healthy, nothing wrong, do what you do best."
They then all posed for a photo, where the "My Heart Will Go On" singer stated "squeeze in, let's not be shy, you smell great."
According to Billboard and PEOPLE, it's believed this was Dion's first public appearance in more than three years. Last December, the singer announced she had been diagnosed with "stiff-person syndrome."
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the condition is characterized by muscles that tense uncontrollably, and a heightened sensitivity to stimuli such as noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can set off muscle spasms.
"Unfortunately these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life," Dion said at the time. "Sometimes causing difficulty when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal chords to sing the way I'm used to."
Back in May, the singer announced she would be canceling all of her scheduled 2023 and 2024 shows.
In a post on Instagram after Monday's game, Dion said it was a very memorable experience for her and her boys, René-Charles, 22, and twins, Eddy and Nelson, 13.
