Madonna’s brother Christopher Ciccone has died aged 63, with the popstar remembering him as “the closest human to me for so long”.
Mr Ciccone, who was an artist, dancer and designer, died on Friday in Michigan after being diagnosed with cancer.
He appeared in music videos such as Lucky Star, art directed Madonna’s Blond Ambition World Tour and served as tour director for The Girlie Show tour.
Christopher Ciccone in 2008, when he released his book Life With My Sister Madonna. Pic: AP
In a post on Instagram, Madonna, 66, said Ciccone was in “so much pain towards the end”.
She said: “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.
“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.”
She added: “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 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.”
Christopher and Madonna in 1991. Pic: AP
Mr Ciccone fell out with his sister in 2008 after the release of his bestselling autobiography Life With My Sister Madonna in which he wrote about their strained relationship, her romances and memories from their time on tour together.
Speaking about mending their argument before Mr Ciccone’s death, Madonna said: “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.”
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She added: “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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Mr Ciccone directed music videos for Dolly Parton and Tony Bennett during his career, and was an interior designer for Madonna’s homes in New York, Miami and Los Angeles.
In 2016, Mr Ciccone married Ray Thacker, a British actor, who was by his side when he died.
Madonna’s stepmother, Joan Clare Ciccone, died from cancer just weeks ago, and her older brother Anthony Ciccone died last year.