Madonna Mourns Her Brother Anthony's Death in Emotional Tribute

By Allison Schonter

Madonna is mourning the death of her oldest brother, Anthony Ciccone. Two days after family confirmed that Ciccone died of undisclosed causes at the age of 66, the Grammy Award winner shared an emotional tribute to her brother on social media, thanking him for his "important" influence on her.

The 64-year-old pop icon shared the emotional tribute to her Instagram Story, where she posted a black-and-white throwback photo from the '80s showing herself and Ciccone with their siblings. In a message written overtop the image, Madonna thanked her late brother "for blowing my mind as a young girl," adding, "you planted many important seeds." The singer went on to thank Ciccone for "blowing my mind as a young girl," also crediting him for introducing her to "Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Buddhism, Taoism, Charles Bukowski, Jack Kerouac, Expansive Thinking, Outside the Box." She said her brother "planted many important seeds."

Madonna's tribute came just days after her brother-in-law Joe Henry, who is married to Madonna's younger sister Melanie Ciccone, confirmed in an Instagram post on Saturday that Ciccone "exited this earthly plane last evening." Henry did not share further details regarding Ciccone's cause of death, instead going on to write, "I've known him since I was 15, in the spring of our lives in Michigan so many years now gone. As brother Dave Henry (who took this photograph) notes here, Anthony was a complex character; and god knows: we tangled in moments, as true brothers can. But I loved him and understood him better than I was sometimes willing to let on. But trouble fades; and family remains- with hands reached across the table."

"Farewell, then, brother Anthony," Henry continued. "I want to think the god your blessed mother (and mine) believed in has her there, waiting to receive you. At least for today, no one shall dissuade me from this vision."

Madonna, who is one of eight children, grew up in Michigan, where Anthony is believed to have been living at the time of his death. Anthony was reportedly estranged from the family for years and was reportedly homeless. However, a source told PEOPLE that Madonna "supported him in every way she could when he was willing to take the support," adding, "family members including Madonna visited him while in his rehab facility as he declined these past few months." Ciccone was born on May 3, 1956, in Rochester, Michigan, the eldest child of Madonna and Silvio Ciccone.

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