Christopher “Chris” Gerard Ciccone, the younger brother of Madonna, passed away at the age of 63. His representative confirmed to PEOPLE that he died from cancer on Friday, Oct. 4, with his husband Ray Thacker by his side, stating that Christopher passed away “peacefully.”
In addition to Thacker, Christopher leaves behind his father Silvio Ciccone, and his siblings: Martin, Madonna, Paula, Melanie, Jennifer, and Mario. Christopher’s passing follows the recent death of his stepmother, Joan Gustafson Ciccone, who succumbed to cancer in September at the age of 81.
As the Ciccone family navigates this difficult time, Christopher’s spirit and contributions to dance and music will always be cherished
His eldest brother, Anthony, also passed away last year at 66 due to respiratory failure and throat cancer. His mother, Madonna Louise Ciccone, tragically passed away from breast cancer shortly after his birth in 1963.
Growing up in Michigan like the rest of his family, Christopher studied dance in college before relocating to New York City, where he worked closely with Madonna during her rise to fame. He contributed seriously to Madonna’s early career, performing as a backup dancer in her early music videos, including “Everybody” and “Lucky Star.”
Christopher also took on key roles behind the scenes, acting as the art director for Madonna’s 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour and overseeing production design for 1993’s The Girlie Show.
Apart from his roles as art director and production designer, Christopher also served as a dresser and creative consultant for Madonna. In 1985, he ventured into interior design after helping the singer furnish her apartment when she married Sean Penn. He later reflected on this experience in an interview with Northern Express, saying it sparked his passion for design.
Following his successful collaboration with Madonna, Christopher expanded his career, working in interior design, footwear design, and memoir writing, all while focusing on painting as his main form of artistic expression, according to his representative.
His design expertise extended to high-profile clients, including Manhattan restaurants and luxury condominiums. He also directed music videos for artists such as Dolly Parton and Tony Bennett.
In later years, Christopher moved back to his home state of Michigan to be closer to family and for work, as shared by his representative. Christopher married Ray Thacker, a British actor living in Los Angeles, in 2016.
