One of Hollywood's most enduring relationships has sadly ended. Rene Angelil, husband of Canadian singing superstar Celine Dion, passed away on January 14, 2016. Angelil was Dion's manager from 1981 to 2014 and was married to the singer from 1994 until his death. The couple had three children together and Angelil helped built Dion's career to what it is today. So, in honor of their long and memorable union here are some revealing facts about their relationship. Keep watching to find out seven things you probably didn't know about Celine Dion's marriage!
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00:007 Things You Didn't Know About Celine Dion's Odd Marriage
00:09Celine Dion's husband, Rene Angelil, died January 14th, 2016, after a long battle with
00:17cancer.
00:18Angelil's death marked the end of one of Hollywood's most enduring relationships,
00:22which began way back in 1980 when Dion was just a petite singer in Canada.
00:28In honor of Angelil's legacy, we're revealing facts about the popular couple you may not
00:33have known.
00:34Our hearts will go on.
00:36Celine Met Rene When She Was 12
00:38Celine and Rene's relationship dates back to when she was just 12 years old.
00:43At the time, Dion and her family sent a recording of her first song to Angelil, a successful
00:48producer in Canada.
00:50After hearing the recording, Angelil brought Dion in to sing for him in person.
00:55The rest, of course, is history.
00:57Angelil Mortgaged His Home To Launch Dion's Career
01:01Angelil managed her for five years before they developed feelings.
01:05They began dating when Dion was 19 and Angelil was 45.
01:10They Waited To Go Public
01:12Dion and Angelil kept their relationship and 1991 engagement a secret from the public for
01:17five years.
01:18Ultimately, Dion pushed to reveal their secret once and for all.
01:23Their relationship officially became public in 1994 thanks to a message written in the
01:28liner notes of Dion's multi-platinum CD, The Color Of My Love.
01:32They Were Married In December That Year.
01:35Celine's Mom Didn't Approve
01:37In 2013, Dion admitted that her mother was opposed to her relationship because of Angelil's
01:43past relationships.
01:44Ultimately, Dion said that her family fell in love with Angelil over time.
01:49Her mother had no choice but to accept him.
01:53Extortion Plot
01:54In 2002, a woman named Eunkyung Soon-Kwang claimed Angelil sexually assaulted her at
02:00the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas, which Angelil denied.
02:05It all turned out to be an extortion plot concocted by Kwon and her husband.
02:10Kwon was sentenced to prison in 2004 on charges of extortion, while her husband received a
02:15similar sentence a few months later.
02:18They Had Trouble Conceiving
02:21Dion and Angelil struggled to get pregnant throughout their marriage.
02:24They conceived their first child, son Rene Charles, with the help of in vitro fertilization.
02:30The couple conceived again in 2010, but lost the baby to a miscarriage.
02:35The couple finally conceived twin boys, Eddie and Nelson, via IVF less than one year later.
02:42Health Problems
02:43Angelil's fluctuating health was an issue for a good portion of their marriage.
02:49He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1999.
02:52Dion took a full two years off from her career to take care of her husband.
02:57In 2014, Dion postponed her Las Vegas residency and cancelled her Asian tour indefinitely
03:03after Angelil's cancer returned.
03:06In 2015, Dion told Good Morning America that Angelil's health had gotten so bad, she
03:12had to feed him herself three times a day.
03:16Rene convinced Celine to sing My Heart Will Go On.
03:27My Heart Will Go On, the Oscar-winning song from the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, remains
03:32the most famous song of Dion's career.
03:35But if it weren't for her husband, she might not have recorded it at all.
03:39Dion revealed in 2013 on The Jonathan Ross Show,
03:43I didn't really like the song at first.
03:47I wasn't sure.
03:49I did another song for a movie before, it was very successful, and I thought we were
03:53pushing our luck."
03:54Angelil ultimately convinced her to record a demo, which turned out to be the final recording.
03:59Smart husband.