Madonna and Christopher’s mother, Madonna Ciccone, died of breast cancer in 1963, when she was 30 and Madonna was 5. Madonna’s older brother, Anthony Ciccone, died in 2023. He was 66. The superstar grew up with five brothers and sisters before her stepmother had three more children, including a son who died of a heart defect after he was born.

“I’m glad he’s not suffering anymore. 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 husband Ray Thacker.