Madonna Loses Another Brother Just Over A Year Apart: 'The Closest Human To Me'

Madonna's younger brother, Christopher Ciccone, has joined their oldest sibling, Anthony Ciccone, in heaven.

The "Like a Prayer" singer recently confirmed Christopher's death in a touching social media tribute, reflecting on their memories and how dancing saved them.

Madonna's younger brother took his final breath on October 4, over a year after their oldest sibling died from a combination of health issues. Christopher Ciccone reconnected with his famous sister after falling ill.

The Queen of Pop shared a carousel of images of herself and Christopher through the years on Instagram. The slideshow showcased their close bond as siblings, including shots of them smiling and the late Ciccone supporting his sister at events.

Madonna captioned the images with a poignant confession about their relationship, writing: “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,” she continued, adding:

“In fact, dance was a kind of superglue that held us together. Discovering Dance in our small Midwestern town saved me, and then my brother came along, and it saved him too.”

While reflecting on their childhood and the impacts dancing had on them, Madonna recalled how her ballet teacher created a “safe space” for Christopher to be gay. She noted it was “a word that was not spoken or even whispered” where they lived.

The siblings’ love for dancing continued when Madonna ventured to New York to become a dancer, and her brother followed. “And again we took each other's hands, and we danced through the madness of New York City!” she wrote, adding:

“We devoured Art and Music And Film like hungry animals. 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 in the beginning of my career, and eventually, he became the 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,” Madonna raved.

Madonna credited Christopher for staying by her side and defying the “Roman Catholic Church, the Police, the Moral Majority, and all Authority figures that got in the way of Artistic freedom!” Her praises continued:

“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 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,” Madonna added, noting that their bond had dwindled in the last few years.

“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,” she confessed.

After reconnecting with Christopher amid his illness, Madonna noted: "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," she concluded her tribute, adding a heartbroken emoji. Christopher's death came months after the first death anniversary of his oldest sibling, Anthony.

The Blast reported that the oldest of the Ciccone children died on February 25, 2023, at 66. Anthony's death certificate revealed he passed away from a combination of health issues, including oropharyngeal cancer, a disease commonly caused by smoking.

Anthony's death certificate listed tobacco use as a contributing factor to his death, but the primary cause was respiratory failure and throat cancer. He died while receiving treatment at a Michigan nursing facility.

Sources claimed Madonna honored her late brother by paying for his hospital bills, an action that showed her forgiving heart. The Pop star and Anthony had a rocky relationship, with the latter once slamming her on record along with the rest of their family.

In her social media tribute to Anthony after his passing, Madonna claimed he "planted many important seeds" by introducing her to Buddhism, Taoism, Charles Bukowski, Richard Brautigan, and more.

May Madonna have the strength to overcome the grief of losing another sibling.