The 14-year-old hockey enthusiast spoke at his dad’s funeral on Friday at Notre-Dame Basilica, in a moment that was livestreamed across the internet. “I’ll make sure to pass on what I’ve learned from you”. Her brother Daniel died of cancer two days after Angelil.
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Celine Dion and her family have honoured her husband Rene Angelil in a traditional Catholic funeral in the same cathedral where the pair were married.
People will gather at the Notre-Dame Basilica to say goodbye to Rene Angelil, who died of throat cancer last week at the age of 73.
Dion walked into the church first with her youngest sons Eddie and Nelson; her eldest, Rene-Charles, followed close behind helping Dion’s mother Therese as the family arrived at the national funeral for Rene Angelil.
Dion carefully placed deep purple calla lilies on a pillow resting on the dark casket of her former manager and husband of 21 years, before taking a seat for the Catholic service.
He noted that Angelil, knowing he was terminally ill, had planned his funeral before dying.
Almost 700 members of the public also attended Friday’s funeral.
Fans of the singer and her husband had been queueing outside the church since the early hours of the morning, with many coming from around the world for the sombre occasion.
Others attending included Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair, Couillard and ex-premiers Bernard Landry and Jean Charest. A note from Dion written on the back of the card reassured them that she would return to the stage after pausing to grieve.
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Angelil’s casket was later taken to Montreal’s Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery.
