News of Madonna's hospitalisation shocked the world after she was found unconscious while suffering from a "serious bacterial infection".
And while she has reportedly been discharged to recuperate at her New York City home, it is safe to say that it has been a heartbreaking few months for the Queen of Pop regarding her personal life.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that the 64-year-old's older brother Anthony Ciccone, 66, had passed away from respiratory failure and throat cancer.
Paying tribute to her brother in February following his passing, the Vogue hitmaker shared a black and white image taken by photographer Bruce Weber in 1986 sitting at a table with all her siblings.
She thanked her brother for the part he had played in her life, writing: "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, outside the box.
"You planted many important seeds."
The devastating news was first announced by musician Joe Henry, who is married to Madonna's sister Melanie Ciccone.
Sharing a black-and-white picture of his brother-in-law, Joe wrote: "My brother-in-law, Anthony Gerard Ciccone, exited this earthly plane last evening. 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."
Anthony was believed to have been living in Michigan at the time of his death.
He had struggled with alcoholism and was reportedly homeless for several years, at one point living under a bridge in Michigan.
In December 2017, the Daily Mail reported that Anthony had completed a stay at a rehab facility and later reconnected with his family at home.
Anthony had previously hit out at his family and accused them of not caring about him.
"I'm a zero in their eyes – a non-person. I'm an embarrassment. If I froze to death, my family probably wouldn't know or care about it for six months," he told the publication back in 2011.
He also opened up about his relationship with Madonna.
"I never loved her in the first place, she never loved me. We never loved each other," he claimed.
Meanwhile, fans worldwide have been worried for Madonna since it was revealed she was hospitalised over the weekend.
She was rushed to hospital and hooked up to a ventilator, and intubated so a breathing tube was passed down her throat and into her lungs.
The worrying news was shared by her manager Guy Oseary on Instagram.
"On Saturday, June 24, Madonna developed a serious bacterial infection which lead to a several-day stay in the ICU," Oseary wrote in a statement.
"Her health is improving, however she is still under medical care. A full recovery is expected. At this time we will need to pause all commitments, which includes the tour."
She is now recovering at home in New York.
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