Madonna Shares Touching Instagram Tribute to Late Brother Christopher Ciccone—Read Her Message

Madonna paid a heartfelt tribute to her younger brother, Christopher Gerard Ciccone, following his passing at age 63 in an Instagram post shared on Sunday, October 6.

“He was the closest human to me for so long. It's hard to explain our bond,” Madonna wrote in her touching post. “We took each other‘s hands and we danced through the madness of our childhood.”

Madonna reflected on the powerful bond they shared, calling their lifelong “dance” a kind of “superglue” that held them together.

Both Madonna and Christopher were born in Michigan. She regaled how meeting their childhood dance teacher, also named Christopher, in their “small Midwestern town,” saved both of their lives and empowered them to pursue artistic careers.

The remainder of her tribute paid homage to Christopher’s creative career and how the brother and sister supported one another through the highs and lows of their fast-paced lives.

Finally, Madonna expressed relief that Christopher was no longer suffering from illness and concluded her post with a message from the heart.

“There will never be anyone like him. I know he’s dancing somewhere,” she wrote.

The life & death of Madonna’s brother Christopher Ciccone

Madonna’s brother Christopher Ciccone was born in Pontiac, Michigan on Nov. 22, 1960. With creative impulses similar to his pop icon sister, he worked as a dancer, artist and interior designer in his early adulthood.

Christopher played a pivotal role in Madonna’s career, serving as her art and tour director during key moments, including her iconic tours. He even appeared in her “ Lucky Star ” music video in the 1980s.

At age 63, Christopher passed peacefully on Friday, Oct. 4 —after a battle with cancer—with his husband, actor Ray Thacker, by his side.

In addition to his sister Madonna, Christopher is survived by his siblings Martin, Paula, Melanie, Jennifer and Mario and his father, Silvio Ciccone.

The passing of Madonna and Christopher Ciccone’s stepmother

Christopher's death occurred shortly after the passing of their stepmother, Joan Clare Ciccone, in September of this year. She was 81 years old and suffered from “ a very aggressive cancer .”

Throughout her life, Joan worked as a child caregiver, was heavily involved in local volunteer opportunities and eventually assisted her husband Silvio in founding and managing the Ciccone Vineyard and Winery in Suttons Bay, Michigan.

“She will be terribly missed by her family and friends whose lives she enriched with her enthusiasm, joy and love,” her online obituary reads.

Madonna’s other siblings

Madonna is one of seven brothers and sisters in the Ciccone family.

Her biological mother and namesake, Madonna Louise Ciccone, and father, Silvio had three boys—Anthony, Martin and Christopher—and three girls Madonna, Paula and Melanie. (You can read about what Paula thinks about her famous sister here .)

After her mother passed away from breast cancer in 1963, Silvio remarried Joan Clare Ciccone and had Jennifer and Mario, Madonna’s step-siblings.

Madonna has discussed how losing her mother at a young age impacted her life and career.

“If my mother didn’t die, and I grew up with a feeling of wholeness and completeness and family, I probably would have stayed in Michigan and become a schoolteacher,” she told Rolling Stone last year.

In addition to losing Christopher to cancer this year, her eldest brother, Anthony, died in February of 2023 at the age of 66 due to respiratory failure and throat cancer.

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