Madonna, 66, shares rare photos with father Silvio Ciccone as she spoils him during his 94th birthday

Daily Mail​

6 days ago

Papa don't preach - but let's wish him a happy birthday anyway!
Madonna took to Instagram Tuesday with a series of photos commemorating the 94th birthday celebration for her father Silvio Ciccone.
The Express Yourself artist thanked her dad for passing down what she described as a 'zero F**** mentality!' that helped her conquer the world of entertainment.
'Happy Birthday to my Father,' the 66-year-old pop superstar said in the caption of a post to more than 19.9 million followers on the social media platform.
The pop icon said of her father: 'He has survived many wars and many losses in his life and he still has a sense of humor and a strong desire to get out of bed every morning and make the most of his day.'
The Grammy-winning singer, whose full name is Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone, hailed her father for his consistency over the years and strong work ethic as he approaches 100.
'Whenever people ask my father when he's going to retire, his answer is always the same: "I'm going to go until the wheels fall off"' the Like A Prayer vocalist said.
She added the phrase S.A.M.E., ostensibly indicating she inherited the can-do mentality that's helped her conquer the entertainment industry over the past four decades.
The artist of hits including Vogue, Material Girl and Like a Virgin said she felt that contemporary society tends to marginalize older people when they should be doing the exact opposite.
'It's a shame we do not live in a world that celebrates knowledge and experience and the wisdom that we can only learn from our elders who have survived for many decades on this planet,' Madonna said.
She added, 'We are fixated on youth and physical beauty that ironically teaches us nothing and gives us only momentary gratification.'
Madonna is mother to six children: Lourdes Leon, 28, Rocco Ritchie, 24, Mercy James, 19, David, 19, and twins Estere and Stella, 12.
In an accompanying video post, the family was seen enjoying an extended birthday celebration that included a large banner; and outdoor sports such as soccer and horseback riding as summer sets in.
The Open Your Heart vocalist also shared a touching black-and-white image to social media in which she had her arms around her beloved parent
Madonna herself looked radiant in multiple images in the gallery, including one in which she wore a blue print dress while her father enjoyed a slice of birthday cake.
The Take a Bow songstress wrote 'Dad is Flexin on his 94th' in an adjacent post on Instagram Stories Tuesday that showed Silvio relaxing on a chair outdoors.
Madonna wrapped up her initial post in saying, 'Good job, Dad!! I'm proud of you and I know Mom is smiling and Happy wherever she is,' referring to her late mother Madonna Louise Ciccone, who passed away in 1963 after a bout with breast cancer at 30.
Madonna was five-years-old at the time of the tragic death and has spoken extensively about her heartbreak over it in recent years.
'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,' the pop icon said last year about performing in front of her late matriarch's image while on her Celebration tour.
She added: 'I stepped into the station wagon and shut the door not knowing it was the last time I'd see her.
'Nobody told me my mother was dying - I just watched her disintegrate mysteriously and then she disappeared and there was no explanation except that she had gone to sleep.'