Pop-icon Madonna recalled her first meeting with the late Seymour Stein, who passed away on Monday at 80 due to cancer, in a moving tribute post on social media one day after the record executive’s death.

Remembering the man who got the Material Girl singer her breakthrough in 1982, Madonna wrote, “Seymour Stein Has Left Us! I need to catch my breath. He Was one of the most influential Men in my Life!!”

“He changed and Shaped my world,” the 64-year-old singer-songwriter also wrote alongside throwback photos with the late record executive.

Sharing her first encounter with Seymore, Madonna revealed that she had to visit a hospital to meet the recording industry man for the first time in the early 1980s. The singer also described how she had been trying to get a foothold in the music industry at that time. “I stalked a DJ named Mark Kamin- for a year at a club called Danceteria! in the early 80’s. He finally agreed to play my demo of a song called Everybody on a Saturday night. The Club was packed. An A&R man from SIRE records was there—Michael Rosenblatt. He heard the music and asked me if he could bring me to meet his boss Seymour Stein,” she wrote.

“Unfortunately Seymour was in the hospital for a Heart Ailment! When I met him he was laying in a hospital bed wearing his boxer shorts and a wife beater. He had a cannula up his nose and a saline drip in his arm! He was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. I was carrying my giant boombox ready to play my cassette for him immediately! He smiled and laughed when he saw me and asked me if I was related to the Virgin Mary!! I knew we would hit it off. I played him the song a few times. He signed me to his record label that day!! This moment changed the course of my life forever. And was the beginning of my journey as a Musical Artist. Not only did Seymour hear me but he Saw me and my Potential! For this I will be eternally grateful,” Madonna’s post read.

After signing Madonna to a USD 45,000 contract for three singles, with an option for an album, Sire released Everybody that went on to sell more than 64 million albums in the US alone, kickstarting Madonna’s career.

“I am weeping as I write this down. Words cannot describe how I felt at this moment after years of grinding and being broke and getting every door slammed in my face. Anyone who knew Seymour knew about his passion for music and his impeccable taste. He had an Ear like no other! He was Intense -Wickedly Funny-a little bit Crazy And Deeply intuitive. Dearest Seymour you will never be forgotten!! Thank You! Thank you Thank you! 🙏🏼 💙. . Shine on,” Madonna’s post ended.

Not only was Seymour behind the most successful musicians including Madonna, The Ramones, The Smiths and Talking Heads, the man behind these legendary artistes founded the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland on September 2, 1995. His career stretched over 50 years in the music industry.