Madonna remembers her brother Christopher Ciccone in moving tribute: ‘There will never be anyone like him’

CNN
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Madonna mourns the loss of her younger brother.

Christopher Ciccone, a designer, dancer and artist, died “peacefully” on Friday, according to a statement from Ciccone’s family provided to CNN by his representative Brad Taylor. He was 63.

The superstar paid tribute to Ciccone in a post on her Instagram page on Sunday, calling him “the closest person to me for so long.”

Their bond, she wrote, “came from the understanding that we were different and society would make things difficult for us if we didn’t follow the status quo.”

The “Vogue” singer recalled how the art of dance symbolically “saved” both herself and Ciccone, describing it as the “superglue that held us together” and the reason they both moved to New York City early in their careers pulled.

“My brother was right by my side,” she continued. “We have scaled the highest heights together. And floundered in the deepest depths. Somehow we always found each other and we held hands and kept dancing.”

Ciccone served as Madonna’s creative advisor as her career exploded and served as artistic director for her 1990 “Blond Ambition” world tour, which was chronicled in the 1991 music documentary “Truth or Dare.”

He also choreographed the music video for her 1982 song “Everybody” and directed the 1997 music video “Peace Train” for Dolly Parton. In 2008, Ciccone published his memoirs titled “Life with My Sister Madonna,” in which he went into detail about their once-tumultuous relationship.

Ciccone later worked as an interior designer and shoe designer.

“The last few years have not been easy,” Madonna wrote candidly in her tribute on Sunday. “We didn’t speak to each other for a while, but when my brother got sick we found each other again.”

According to his family, Ciccone died “surrounded by love” after his battle with cancer.

“I’m glad he’s no longer suffering. There will never be anyone like him. I know he’s dancing somewhere,” Madonna wrote.

Ciccone is survived by his father, Silvio Ciccone, his siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins ​​and his husband, Ray Thacker.