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A cause of death for Madonna’s brother Anthony Ciccone has finally been revealed. The 66-year-old succumbed to respiratory failure and throat cancer, per a death certificate obtained by TMZ for an April 3 report. According to the outlet, the throat cancer was oropharyngeal, which is often caused by smoking. The document did state that smoking and tobacco had contributed to his death. It also stated that he had been cremated following his death.
Anthony died last month, with his famous younger sister and other family members taking to social media to pay tribute to him and to acknowledge the loss. “Thank you for blowing my mind as a young girl and introducing me to Charlie Parker, Miles David, Buddhism, Taoism, Charles Bukowski, Richard Brautigan, Jack Kerouac, expansive thinking outing the box. You planted many important seeds,” Madonna captioned a group throwback pic in the February 27 post.
Unfortunately, however, a source said Anthony was estranged from his family at the time of his death. But the mom of six was still reportedly there for him, as much as she could be. “They were all there for him and despite being estranged, Madonna supported him in every way she could when he was willing to take the support,” the insider told PEOPLE on Feb 26. “Family members including Madonna visited him while in his rehab facility as he declined these past few months.”
Anthony’s untimely death was first shared with the world by the “Vogue” icon‘s brother-in-law, musician Joe Henry, who married into the family via Madge’s sister Melanie Ciccone. “My brother-in-law, Anthony Gerard Ciccone, exited this earthly plane last evening,” Joe wrote via Instagram at the time.
“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. 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.” Joe shared a black and white close-up portrait of Anthony for the sad February 26 announcement.
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