Céline Dion has opened up on overcoming her fear of illness.
The singer revealed she found strength in wanting to protect her children, René-Charles, 23, and twins Nelson and Eddy, 13, when she first showed symptoms of the neurological disorder, stiff person syndrome.
"As a mom, my number one priority, I need to help myself for my kids," the My Heart Will Go On legend told Extra at the New York premiere of her new documentary, I Am: Céline Dion.
As Céline, 56, had lost her husband René Angélil in 2016 to throat cancer, she felt particularly frightened of leaving their sons orphaned.
"Before I knew what I was dealing with, that's all I had, fear. Am I going to die? My kids already lost their dad and I don't know what's going on," she explained.
"My fans don't know where I am, so all that to say, it gave me a lot of strain to say, first of all, I'm a mom and I deserve to know what's happening. My kids deserve to know what's going on. They're my biggest reward in my whole life."
The singer also confided she felt enormous relief when she received her diagnosis. Stiff person syndrome, while it is progressive and can be debilitating, can also be managed and the prognosis can be as long as 28 years.
"I started to rehabilitate myself and it's a process, but it's okay," Céline said, "because you have to find your inner strength as a mother, as an artist."