Originally appeared on E! Online
Kelly Clarkson has tears behind those hazel eyes.
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The "Since U Been Gone" singer broke down crying while watching Céline Dion's comeback performance at the Eiffel Tower during the 2024 Paris Olympics' Opening Ceremony.
"I actually can't talk," Clarkson said while co-hosting NBC's coverage of the July 26 event. "A one-of-a-kind Opening Ceremony."
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The "American Idol" alum went on to praise Céline — whose been battling stiff-person syndrome for over two years — for delivering an "incredible" rendition of Édith Piaf's "Hymne A L'Amour" during her first live performance since 2020.
"I was not ready for that," Clarkson continued. "If you know anything about Céline right now, she feels this is her purpose."
And the "Kelly Clarkson Show" host wasn't done getting choked up about the comeback, with her even struggling to speak as she recounted the "My Heart Will Go On" singer's empowering health journey.
"I’m so sorry, I’m trying to hold it together," Clarkson said, "But that she got through that, that was incredible."
The 42-year-old added, "In my field, she is the gold winner for vocal athletes."
Dion publicly shared her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis in 2022, explaining that she had to cancel her Courage World Tour as the "very rare" neurological disorder had been affecting "every aspect" of her daily life.
Two years later, the 56-year-old — who shares sons René-Charles, 23, and 13-year-old twins Nelson and Eddy with her late husband René Angélil — detailed her struggles with the condition in the documentary "I Am: Céline Dion," revealing that, at one point, the diagnosis nearly cost her her life.
But along with chronicling the challenges, Dion has also showed fans her unwavering dedication to returning to the stage and achieving her goal of seeing the Eiffel Tower once again.
"They way I see it, I have two choices," she told Vogue France in an interview published April 22. "Either I train like an athlete and work super hard, or I switch off and it’s over, I stay at home, listen to my songs, stand in front of my mirror and sing to myself."
Dion added, "I've chosen to work with all my body and soul, from head to toe, with a medical team. I want to be the best I can be."
(E! News and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
