Céline Dion, 56, discloses her battle with Stiff Person Syndrome and provides graphic video of herself having a ten-minute «crisis» seizure
Flushed, tearful, wailing in pain and unable to control her own body, Céline Dion endures an agonising ten-minute seizure in new scenes from her new documentary that lays bare her battle with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS).
The Canadian singer is seen gasping for breath as medical professionals desperately attempt to alleviate her painful muscle spasms while a camera crew quietly films the ordeal.
In clear distress, a frantic Dion is given a medicinal nasal spray, commonly used to treat the effects of cluster seizures in sufferers of SPS.
Dion, 56, was diagnosed with the condition, a rare autoimmune neurological disorder that causes muscle stiffness and uncontrollable spasms, in 2022.
Her subsequent struggles are set to be documented in new Amazon Prime release I Am: Céline Dion — a heartbreaking look at the superstar’s daily life as she comes to terms with SPS and its debilitating effects.
And a new clip, shared ahead of its release on June 25, captures Dion as her stricken body goes into ‘crisis’ during a filmed consultation with medical professionals.
The singer looks on helplessly as doctors gently lay her in a comfortable position and check her vitals.
All the while, her bare-feet remain rigid as she battles the debilitating effects of the rare condition.
After receiving assistance the singer is finally able to sit upright and covers herself in a blanket before admitting her embarrassment at losing control of her body in front of the cameras.
The singer admits to being embarrassed about losing control of her body in front of the cameras after being helped to sit up straight and covering herself with a blanket.
«Every time something like this happens, it makes you feel so embarrassed and like, I don’t know how to express it, it’s just like you don’t have control over yourself,» she says to the camera.
Dion breaks down in tears, acknowledging that she still hopes to pursue a stage career in the future.
«I still see myself dancing and singing,» she remarked. You know, I always figure out a plan B and a plan C. I am that. I’ll walk if I’m not able to run. I’ll crawl if I’m unable to walk. But I’m not going to give up. I refuse to give up.
Irene Taylor, the director, told the PA news agency that she was considering «should I film it» as Dion launched her onslaught «very quickly,» but she chose to press on because the singer—who is renowned for her loud voice—had advised her not «to ask permission to film something.»
«I was the sound person and my cinematographer was there, so I wasn’t focused on filming during those first 30 seconds,» she continued.
