Madonna's Brother Passes Away at the Age of 63

Christopher Ciccone, the brother of pop icon Madonna, who was closely involved in her career until they had a falling out in 2008, has passed away at the age of 63. "He was an incredibly talented person with a wicked sense of humor," a friend of his shared.

Christopher worked alongside Madonna throughout much of her career until their relationship soured in two thousand eight when he published his book, Life with My Sister Madonna.

Christopher's death comes less than a month after the passing of his and Madonna's stepmother, Joan Claire Ciccone, who died following a brief but aggressive battle with cancer. "Christopher was an incredibly talented person with a wicked sense of humor," a friend of the deceased stated.

Christopher and Madonna were especially close. In fact, Christopher began his career as his sister's personal assistant, dresser, and stylist. The two grew up together in Michigan and even took dance lessons together. Following in his sister's footsteps, Christopher moved to New York.

However, their relationship hit a rough patch when Christopher revealed intimate details about Madonna in his book, including discussions about her relationship with Guy Ritchie, claiming that the two never got along.

Christopher struggled with addiction to drugs and alcohol, and Madonna helped pay for his rehabilitation treatments. In an interview, Christopher shared that they reconnected around two thousand twelve. "We’re really okay with each other now. We’re in touch—though I haven’t seen Madonna in a while. We’ve gone back to being brother and sister. I no longer work for her, and that’s for the best." He went on to praise his sister, concluding, "I’m very proud of her."