Madonna Shares Poignant Tribute to Her Late Mom That Will Leave You in Tears: ‘I Hope You’re Proud of Me’
Mother’s Day can be hard for many people, especially if they’ve lost their moms. Madonna’s poignant new tribute to her own mother, the late Madonna Louise Ciccone, proves that we will always need our mamas — no matter how old we are or how long they’ve been gone.
The “Material Girl” singer shared a photo of herself on stage at the Celebration Tour, as she looks up to a vintage picture of her mother, who died in 1963. The larger-than-life photograph is sepia-toned and shows a young Madonna Louise, wearing a vintage dress and grasping her hands in her lap. Madonna wears a blazer with shorts, platform boots, and a cowboy hat as she looks up at the stunning portrait.
“I stood on stage for 81 shows staring up at the beautiful face of my mother and wondering what she must’ve been thinking as she waved goodbye to me from her hospital window,” Madonna wrote in a moving caption. “I stepped into the station wagon and shut the door not knowing it was the last time I’d see her.”
Madonna, who is a mom of 6, shared how much her mom’s death affected her later in life. “Nobody told me my mother was dying,” she continued. “I just watched her disintegrate mysteriously and then she disappeared and there was no explanation except that she had gone to sleep which explains My Tumultuous relationship with sleep.”
Her mom died of breast cancer when Madonna was just 5, per Entertainment Weekly, so it’s understandable that she was too young to grasp what really happened (or maybe nobody told her). That doesn’t make it any less heartbreaking, though.
She iconic pop singer went on to share that she would look out at her mother’s face every night, silently talking to her mom. “I said hello I said goodbye I said Thank you I hope you’re proud of me. I said Please protect me and keep me sane,” she wrote.
Madonna said that the tour brought her closer to her children, David, 18, Mercy, 18, twins Stella and Estere, 11, who all went on tour with her, and daughter Lourdes, 27, with ex Chris Leone, and Rocco, 23, with ex Guy Ritchie.
“Tonight all of my children sleep Under one roof which is Rare and comforting,” she wrote. “They grow up too fast and spin out in different directions And yes I have a hard time letting go.”
The “Like a Virgin” singer added, “I became very close to my children on this tour . We clung to each other. In the long hours we worked and struggled . They helped me manifest my dreams. In the chaos and the storms the monotony and repetition The sleepless nights and the endless Packing and unpacking. All the sacrifices. . We made together. So many hours of Blood Sweat and Tears. Grateful for the privilege of bringing people together with Music But also we just wanted to sleep in.”
Madonna shared that during the last year, Rocco spent time painting, Lourdes “Lolo” was writing songs, and David and Mercy graduated high school.
“No Easy way into the motherhood game. No manual or University,” Madonna continued. “Just trial and error and learn and succeed and then fail again. Finally the realization that they were raising me and not the other way around.” Read the full, heartwarming post HERE.
Many celebrities and fans commented on the post, which included several photos of Madonna with her kids. “You’re a wonderful mother — a great human being … you’ve raised generations ♥️,” Katy Perry commented.
Andy Cohen wrote, “This is so beautiful and true. Happy Mother’s Day.” Selma Blair commented, “Happy Mother’s Day. There is nobody like you. And what has made you into the matter of you. Thank you for writing this. For giving us this grace from the mother of invention. Xxx sb”
Madonna praised her kids in a previous Instagram post, which included several intimate photos of Madonna and her children.
In the caption, she gushed about her “incredibly talented children who carried me through this Journey each of them bringing their own unique talent to the stage.” Madonna went on, “Rehearsals began over a year ago with almost a 2 month break waiting for me recover from a near death experience. They never stopped practicing … they never stopped cheering me on and supporting me. They were also going to school and rehearsing every night. !! . am so very proud of all of them.”
Last Mother’s Day, Madonna said that she didn’t want to be a mom for a significant portion of her life. She shared a video filled with pictures of her and her kids throughout the years, writing about how much she missed her mom. “I miss my mother every day And have fantasized for decades of what it must be like to have a mother to: call on for help, guidance, care And wisdom,” she said. “and yet I rejected the idea of being a mother well into my 30s because I associated motherhood with sacrifice suffering and ultimately death and I wanted none of that.”
She added, “When I finally did become a mother i was astonished at how grounded i felt but also dazed and confused as to how i would figure out the balancing act between being a good mother and an uncompromising artist.”
At the end of the lengthy caption, Madonna signed off with a special message to her mother. “And dear Mother … wherever you are. I hope you are happy with your grandchildren!! I often imagine you singing and dancing with us in the kitchen ! ♥️”
Madonna’s keeping her mom’s memory alive, and we just know she would be so proud!
These stars have vulnerably shared their experiences with grieving the loss of a child.
