Madonna's brother Christopher Ciccone (63) succumbs to cancer
Christopher Ciccone, the younger brother of pop icon Madonna, has died at the age of 63 after a battle with cancer. His representative confirmed his death on Friday (October 4) in Michigan to TMZ. On Monday, Madonna shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, stating, "My brother Christopher is gone. He was the closest human to me for so long. It's hard to explain our bond."
Madonna and Ciccone's bond was formed through dance
In her tribute, Madonna reflected on the bond she shared with Ciccone, rooted in their mutual love for dance. "We took each other's hands and we danced through the madness of our childhood. In fact, dance was a kind of superglue...Discovering Dance in our small Midwestern town saved me and then my brother came along, and it saved him too." She added, "My ballet Teacher, also named Christopher—created a safe space for my brother to be Gay."
Madonna's family has faced multiple losses recently
To note, Ciccone's death comes less than two weeks after the demise of Madonna's stepmother, Joan Clare Ciccone on September 24, who also succumbed to cancer. In February 2023, the pop superstar lost her oldest brother, Anthony Ciccone, to respiratory failure and throat cancer at the age of 66. This series of losses has undoubtedly been a challenging time for Madonna and her family.
Ciccone's career in entertainment and reconciliation with Madonna
Ciccone began his career as a backup dancer for Madonna before directing music videos for stars like Dolly Parton and Tony Bennett. He served as the art director for Madonna's 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour and tour director for her 1993 The Girlie Show. Despite a falling out documented in his 2008 book, Life With My Sister Madonna, the siblings reconciled when he fell ill.
Madonna's tribute to Ciccone and his legacy
Madonna wrote about their reconciliation, "We did not speak for some time but when my brother got sick. We found our way back to each other." She added, "I'm glad he's not suffering anymore. There will never be anyone like him. I know he's dancing somewhere." In addition to his entertainment career, Ciccone was also an artist and interior designer who married British hairdresser Ray Thacker in 2016.
