Céline Dion Vows to Cherish Every Moment With Her Husband as He Battles Cancer

Mornings are a joyful time in Céline Dion’s home.

The singer gets her children up early to spend time with her cancer-stricken husband, René Angélil, before school. “They play games on the bed,” reveals a friend.

Although René can only speak in a whisper, he “laughs and smiles” with his sons. If he’s feeling well enough, he might go downstairs to watch them play in the living room.

Céline with her husband and son René-Charles in December 2007.

“They have a pingpong table and the games can get very spirited,” says the friend. “They’re trying to
make memories.” Last summer, the French-Canadian superstar put her Las Vegas residency on hold and scuttled her plans for a tour of Asia to devote time to René and their children, René-Charles, 14, and twins Nelson and Eddy, 4.

Related: Josh Groban on Céline Dion's Cancer-Stricken Huband — 'Her Voice Gives Him Life'

René, 73, is battling his third occurrence of throat cancer, but Céline recently announced plans to return to the stage on Aug. 27 at René’s insistence. “He wants me to sing again, and I want to do this for him,” she says.

Céline and René in February 2011.

But her husband remains very ill. Radiation treatment has robbed him of some of his hearing, his speech and the ability to eat solid food. “He can’t use his mouth. He’s got a feeding tube. I’ve got to feed him three times a day,” Céline shares. “I feed my husband and I feed my kids.”

But Céline, 47, will now rely on home healthcare aides so that she can make René’s dream of seeing her perform again come true.

To read the full story on Céline and her husband, pick up the new issue of ‘Closer Weekly,’ on newsstands now!