Current:Home > InvestChristopher Ciccone, Madonna’s brother and longtime collaborator, dies at 63: 'He's dancing somewhere'-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Christopher Ciccone, Madonna’s brother and longtime collaborator, dies at 63: 'He's dancing somewhere'
View Date:2024-12-23 21:04:34
Christopher Ciccone, an artist and the younger brother of Madonna, has died. He was 63.
Ciccone died Friday after a battle with cancer, a representative confirmed to USA TODAY on Sunday. His husband, Ray Thacker, remained "faithfully by his side during the final stages of the cancer that would ultimately end his life," and he died "peacefully" surrounded by loved ones, according to a statement from the family.
In an Instagram post on Sunday, Madonna paid tribute to her late brother, saying he was the "closest human to me for so long."
"My brother was right by my side," she wrote. "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."
The "Material Girl" singer, 66, acknowledged that she and her brother did "not speak for sometime." But she shared they "found our way back to each other" after he got sick.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
"I did my best to keep him alive as long as possible," she wrote. "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."
Ciccone was born in Pontiac, Michigan, and was the fifth child of Madonna's parents Madonna Louise and Silvio Ciccone. They had a total of six children, and after Madonna's mother died, her father remarried and had two more kids, Jennifer and Mario.
After attending Western Michigan University and Oakland University, Ciccone moved to New York and served as a dancer for his sister. He also worked for her as a dresser, creative consultant and interior designer, according to an obituary provided by the family.
Ciccone was also the tour director for her Girlie Show tour. He released a shoe collection in 2012 and directed music videos for artists like Dolly Parton.
In 2008, Ciccone published a tell-all memoir about his sibling titled "Life with My Sister Madonna."
"She hasn't been very kind to my parents, to my brothers and sisters, on many occasions, and I wanted to correct that," he told CBS at the time. In the 2008 interview, Ciccone said he and his sister were no longer speaking directly but that he wrote the book from the perspective of "a brother who loves her."
"Some people consider it a betrayal of some kind. I consider it my memoirs," he said, adding, "She will always be my sister. That is never going to ever go away."
Anthony Ciccone,Madonna's older brother, dies at 66: 'You planted many important seeds'
Speaking to Good Morning America in 2008, Ciccone said his relationship with his sister became strained for a number of reasons, including finances. But by 2012, the two of them were now "good."
"We are in contact with each other, although I haven't seen her for a long time," he told the Evening Standard. "We're back to being a brother and sister. I don't work for her, and it's better this way."
Madonna shocksat star-studded Luar NYFW show with Offset modeling, Ice Spice in front row
Madonna's older brother Anthony Ciccone died last year at 66.
"Thank you for blowing my mind as a young girl and introducing me to Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Buddhism, Taoism, Charles Bukowski, Richard Brautigan, Jack Kerouac, Expansive Thinking, Outside the Box," she said in a tribute to her brother at the time. "You planted many important seeds."
Madonna's stepmother, Joan Ciccone, also died last month after a battle with cancer.
veryGood! (2231)
Related
- The Best Gifts for People Who Don’t Want Anything
- Body of Baton Rouge therapist found wrapped in tarp off Louisiana highway, killer at large
- She lost her job after talking with state auditors. She just won $8.7 million in whistleblower case
- Which products could be affected by a lengthy port strike? Alcohol, bananas and seafood, to name a few
- Justine Bateman feels like she can breathe again in 'new era' after Trump win
- 'Park outside': 150,000 Jeep Cherokee and Wrangler hybrids recalled for fire risk
- Federal appeals court rejects Alex Murdaugh’s appeal that his 40-year theft sentence is too harsh
- Five Chinese nationals charged with covering up midnight visit to Michigan military site
- RHOP's Candiace Dillard Bassett Gives Birth, Shares First Photos of Baby Boy
- Why status of Pete Rose's 'lifetime' ban from MLB won't change with his death
Ranking
- 'He's driving the bus': Jim Harbaugh effect paying dividends for Justin Herbert, Chargers
- Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi Share Behind-the-Scenes Look at Italian Wedding Ceremony
- They came to Asheville for healing. Now, all they see is destruction.
- Daniel Day-Lewis Returning to Hollywood After 7-Year Break From Acting
- US Election Darkens the Door of COP29 as It Opens in Azerbaijan
- These Are the Biggest Boot Trends You’ll See This Fall 2024
- Miracles in the mud: Heroes, helping hands emerge from Hurricane Helene aftermath
- ChatGPT maker OpenAI raises $6.6 billion in fresh funding as it moves away from its nonprofit roots
Recommendation
-
Chris Evans Shares Thoughts on Starting a Family With Wife Alba Baptista
-
Scammers are accessing Ticketmaster users' email accounts, stealing tickets, company says
-
Kate Middleton Embraces Teen Photographer Battling Cancer in New Photo
-
New York Liberty push defending champion Las Vegas Aces to brink with Game 2 victory
-
How Kim Kardashian Navigates “Uncomfortable” Situations With Her 4 Kids
-
What is the birthstone for October? Hint: There's actually two.
-
Spirit Halloween Claps Back at “Irrelevant” Saturday Night Live Over Sketch
-
Michael Jordan’s 23XI and a 2nd team sue NASCAR over revenue sharing model