Tue. Feb 4th, 2025
christopher ciccone

Madonna honored her late brother, Christopher Ciccone, who passed away on Friday at the age of 63 after a courageous battle with cancer.

“My brother Christopher Ciccone is gone,” the iconic pop star expressed in a heartfelt Instagram post on Sunday. “He was the closest human to me for so long. It’s challenging to articulate the depth of our bond.”

She reflected on their unique connection, noting that it stemmed from their understanding of their differences and the societal challenges they faced for not conforming to norms.

“We took each other’s hands and danced through the tumult of our childhood. Dance was like superglue that bonded us together. Discovering dance in our small Midwestern town saved me, and then my brother came along, and it saved him too,” she shared.

Madonna recounted how her ballet instructor, also named Christopher, fostered a safe environment for her brother to embrace his identity, a term rarely uttered in their community. She continued, “When I finally mustered the courage to pursue a dance career in New York, my brother followed suit. Again, we took each other’s hands and danced through the chaos of the city!”

As she reminisced, she described how they immersed themselves in art, music, and film, feeding their creative souls in the epicenter of cultural dynamism. “We danced through the turmoil of the AIDS epidemic, attending funerals, shedding tears, and then going out to dance again. He was with me during the early days of my career, eventually becoming the Creative Director for numerous tours. In matters of taste, my brother was the Pope—you had to kiss the ring to receive his blessing.”

Madonna continued, “We stood against the Roman Catholic Church, law enforcement, the Moral Majority, and any authority that impeded our artistic freedom. My brother was always by my side.”

“He was a painter, a poet, and a visionary. I held him in high regard. He possessed exquisite taste and a sharp tongue, which he sometimes wielded against me, yet I always forgave him. We soared to great heights and stumbled into deep lows, but we consistently found one another and continued to dance,” the 66-year-old pop diva shared.

Reflecting on the last few challenging years, she said, “We were estranged for a time, but when my brother fell ill, we rediscovered our connection. I endeavored to keep him with us for as long as possible. He endured immense pain in his final days. Once again, we held hands, closed our eyes, and danced.”

“I find solace in knowing he’s no longer suffering. There will never be anyone like him. I believe he’s dancing somewhere,” Madonna concluded her poignant tribute.

Ciccone’s representative informed Page Six that he passed away peacefully in Michigan, surrounded by his loved ones, including his husband, Ray Thacker, and other family members.