Madonna’s mother, who shared her first name, was diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant with Madonna’s younger sister. Per Biography, the cancer couldn’t be treated until her mother gave birth, and by the time she delivered the baby, the tumor was too advanced to eradicate. The elder Madonna passed away in 1963 at only 30 years old, leaving a heartbroken five-year-old girl and her five siblings to be raised by their father.
The lack of a female role model during her formative years contributed to Madonna’s wide-open personality. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Madge said, “Some of my lack of inhibition comes from my mother’s death. For example, mothers teach you manners. And I absolutely did not learn any of those rules and regulations.”
Madonna told CNN she had “a feeling of emptiness and longing” following the tragic loss — feelings that likely propelled her to success. To fill the emptiness, Madonna sought adoration wherever she could find it. In a Rolling Stone interview, she told Carrie Fisher her unquenchable thirst for approval fueled her ambition by directing the longing outward. “OK, I don’t have a mother to love me,” she told Fisher. “I’m going to make the world love me.” While there still are some fellow stars who can’t stand Madonna, her loyal fans certainly bow down to the Queen of Pop.
Written by: Nicki