Céline Dion attends NHL Draft with son

Céline Dion made a surprise appearance at the first round of the National Hockey League (NHL) Draft in Las Vegas on Friday.

The singer's visit to the Draft was her first event since the recent premiere of her documentary I Am: Céline Dion, which chronicles her battle with stiff-person syndrome, a rare progressive neurological disorder that causes muscle spasms.

The My Heart Will Go On musician attended with her eldest son, René-Charles Angélil, 23, and announced the Montreal Canadiens' fifth overall pick, Russian hockey player Ivan Demidov, 18.

"I was very happy to be able to announce the selection of the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft!" the 56-year-old wrote in French on her Instagram, alongside pictures of herself attending the event.

She added: "Congratulations to Ivan Demidov! Thank you to the Canadiens for inviting me, and to the NHL for taking such good care of my family...we had a lot of fun!"

Dion has only appeared sparingly in public since sharing her diagnosis with stiff-person-syndrome in December 2022.

She has been seen at NHL games in Las Vegas, where she lives, and made a surprise appearance at the 2024 Grammys in Los Angeles in February.

Dion attended the New York premiere of her documentary I Am: Céline Dion, on 17 June.