[caption id="attachment_63863" align="alignleft" width="300"]
Las Vegas: Celine Dion, winner of the icon award, left, and her son Rene-Charles Angelil, pose in the press room at the Billboard Music Awards at the T-Mobile Arena on Sunday, May 22, 2016, in Las Vegas. AP/PTI(AP5_23_2016_000011B)[/caption]Celine Dion broke down in tears when her son made a surprise appearance at the Billboard Music Awards to present her with a prize.
The 48-year-old star was given a standing ovation as René-Charles, 15, appeared on stage with the Icon Award at the Las Vegas ceremony, where she made her first televised performance since the death of her husband René Angélil - who died from throat cancer in January aged 73 - and brother Daniel, who passed away days later.
An emotional Celine - who also has five-year-old twins Nelson and Eddy - told the crowd at the T-Mobile Arena: “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for crying. I want to be so strong for my family and kids.
“I don’t want to cry in front of you,’ she then said to her son.
“Thank you very much. This is such a tremendous honour. Music has been my passion since before I can almost remember.
“[Rene will] continue to watch over me from up above.”
Celine performed a rendition of René’s favourite song, Queen hit ‘The Show Must Go On’ at the ceremony and later admitted she was “proud” of her family for coping during such a difficult time.
She told ‘Entertainment Tonight’: “To try to perform that song without collapsing was big enough.
“And then I turned around and I saw my son. As a mother, I really, through this whole process of our new life, wanted to be strong.
“I thought I was going to make it through the whole night without tears and show strength, and love won.
“I just collapsed. I’m very thankful for the award and proud of my family so much.”
Earlier this month, Celine revealed she “chased the truck” that came to take away her late husband because she couldn’t bear to let him ago.
She said: “When they [medics] took [his body] away, I chased the truck a little, like it was my kids going to school for the first day. It’s been a long, long journey. We were living in hope, knowing that there’s no hope.”
Millennium Award: Britney Spears
Icon Award: Celine Dion
Top Artist: Adele
Top New Artist: Fetty Wap
Top Male Artist: Justin Bieber
Top Female Artist: Adele
Top Duo/Group: One Direction
Top Billboard 200 Artist: Adele
Top Hot 100 Artist: The Weeknd
Top Song Sales Artist: The Weeknd
Top Radio Songs Artist: The Weeknd
Top Streaming Songs Artist: The Weeknd
Top Social Media Artist: Justin Bieber
Top Touring Artist: Taylor Swift
Top R&B Artist: The Weeknd
Top Rap Artist: Drake
Top Country Artist: Luke Bryan
Top Rock Artist: twenty one pilots
Top Latin Artist: Romeo Santos
Top Dance/Electronic Artist: David Guetta
Top Christina Artist: Hillsong United
Top Gospel Artist: Kirk Franklin
Top Billboard 200 Album: Adele, 25
Top Soundtrack: Pitch Perfect 2
Top R&B Album: The Weeknd, Beauty Behind the Madness
Top Rap Album: Meek Mill, Dreams Worth More Than Money
Top Country Album: Chris Stapleton, Traveller
Top Rock Album: twenty one pilots, Blurryface
Top Latin Album: Juan Gabriel, Los Dúo
Top Dance/Electronic Album: Zedd, True Colors
Top Christian Album: Lauren Daigle, How Can It Be
Top Gospel Album: Kirk Franklin, Losing My Religion
Billboard Chart Achievement Award (Fan-Voted): Rihanna
Top Hot 100 Song: Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth, “See You Again”
Top Selling Song: Adele, “Hello”
Top Radio Song: Walk the Moon, “Shut Up and Dance”
Top Streaming Song (Audio): The Weeknd, “The Hills”
Top Streaming Song (Video): Silentó, “Watch Me”
Top R&B Song: The Weeknd, “The Hills”
Top Rap Song: Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth, “See You Again”
Top Country Song: Thomas Rhett, “Die A Happy Man”
Top Rock Song: Walk the Moon, “Shut Up And Dance”
Top Latin Song: Nicky Jam & Enrique Iglesias, “El Perdon”
Top Dance/Electronic Song: Major Lazer & DJ Snake Featuring MØ, “Lean On”
Top Christian Song: Hillsong UNITED, “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)”
Top Gospel Song: Kirk Franklin, “Wanna Be Happy?”