Madonna has shared a heartfelt tribute to her brother following his passing.
The singer’s brother, Christopher Ciccone, was known for his work as an artist, dancer, and designer. He tragically passed away on Friday, October 5, after a prolonged fight with cancer.
In response to the sad news, Madonna took to Instagram to post a series of photos with Christopher, referring to him as “the closest human to me for so long.”
She continued in her post, “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.”
“Discovering Dance in our small Midwestern town saved me and then my brother came along, and it saved him too.”
Madonna and her brother grew up in Pontiac and Rochester Hill, Michigan.
The singer mentioned how her ballet teacher in their hometown provided Christopher with a “safe space” to express his identity.
“A word that was not spoken or even whispered where we lived,” she added.
“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 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.”
Madonna also reflected on Christopher’s role as her creative director for many of her music tours.
“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.”
“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.”
Their relationship had reportedly become strained in recent years, but they reconnected when Christopher fell ill.
“I did my best to keep him alive as long as possible,” Madonna said regarding her brother’s illness.
“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.”
If you are dealing with the loss of a loved one and need support, you can reach out to The Compassionate Friends at (877) 969-0010.