#Socialites, join us in sending prayers to Madonna as her younger brother Christopher Ciccone has died at 63 from cancer, just weeks after the legendary singer lost her stepmother, Joan Ciccone, to the same disease.
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According to TMZ, Madonna has experienced another death in recent weeks as her young brother Christopher Ciccone passed away on Friday (October 4) in Michigan. His rep told the publication that he died due to cancer.
According to Christopher’s obituary, he passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, including Madonna and Christopher’s loving husband Ray, who was faithfully by his side during the final stages of his cancer battle. Christopher worked as a designer, artist, and director throughout his own career and had organized tours, music videos, films, and commercials; he also worked in residential interior and furniture design.
As mentioned this is the second death that Madonna has experienced in just a few short weeks. Last month, on September 24, the iconic singer’s stepmother, Joan Clare Ciccone, passed away following a cancer fight. It was reported that Joan had been battling a brief but aggressive form of cancer. She had played a significant role in Madonna’s upbringing and initially worked as the family’s housekeeper in Michigan before marrying Madonna’s father, Silvio Ciccone.
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The two wed just a few years after the death of Madonna’s mother, Madonna Louise Ciccone, who also succumbed to cancer at the age of 30. Before the singer’s mother passed, she gave birth to Madonna, her brother Christopher, and siblings Paula Ciccone, Melanie Ciccone, Martin Ciccone, and Anthony Ciccone. Madonna’s stepmother and father had two children together, Jennifer Ciccone and Mario Ciccone.
Just as Madonna was close to her late stepmother Joan Ciccone, she was also super close to her late brother Christopher Ciccone. The two worked super closely throughout her career. They were tied at the hip and he even worked as one of her backup dancers before graduating to becoming a show designer and backstage dresser for his sister, and even becoming the art director for her ‘Blonde Ambition’ world tour.
However, things shifted in 2008 when the two had a falling out upon Christopher releasing his bombshell book, ‘Life with My Sister Madonna,’ which became a New York Times best seller. The two eventually made up and in 2012, Christopher released his own footwear line.
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Breaking her silence on the passing of her brother Christopher, Madonna took to Instagram with several photos of the two over the years and shared a lengthy open letter in the caption.
She began, “My brother Christopher is gone. He was the closest human to me for so long. It’s hard to explain our bond. But it grew out of an understanding that we were different and society was going to give us a hard time for not following the status quo. We took each other‘s hands and we danced through the madness of our childhood. In fact, dance was a kind of superglue that held us together.”
She continued, “Discovering Dance in our small Midwestern town saved me and then my brother came along, and it saved him too. My ballet Teacher, also named Christopher- created a safe space for my brother to be gay. A word that was not spoken or even whispered where we lived. When I finally got the courage to go to New York to become a Dancer. My brother followed. And again we took each other’s hands, and we danced through the madness of New York City! We devoured Art, Music, and Film like hungry animals.”
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Madonna went on, “We were in the epicenter of all of these things exploding. We danced through the madness of the AIDS epidemic. We went to funerals and we cried, and we went dancing. We danced together on stage at the beginning of my career and eventually, he became my Creative Director, of many tours. When it came to good taste, my brother was the Pope, and you had to kiss the ring to get his blessing. We defied the Roman Catholic Church, The Police, the Moral Majority, and all Authority figures that got in the way of Artistic freedom!”
She continued, “My brother was right by my side. He was a painter a poet and a visionary. I admired him. He had impeccable taste. And a sharp tongue, Which he sometimes used against me but I always forgave him. We soared to the highest heights together And floundered in the lowest lows. Somehow, we always found each other again and We held hands and we kept dancing.”
She added, “The last few years have not been easy. We did not speak for some time but when my brother got sick. We found our way back to each other. I did my best to keep him alive as long as possible. He was in so much pain towards the end. Once again, we held hands We closed our eyes and we danced. Together. I’m glad he’s not suffering anymore. There will never be anyone like him. I know he’s dancing somewhere.”
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