Ozzy Osbourne, the Black Sabbath legend known to millions as The Prince of Darkness, has died at the age of 76. He had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease in the lead-up to his death
Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne has passed away at the age of 76. The Black Sabbath icon, affectionately known as The Prince of Darkness, had been struggling with health issues in recent years, which ultimately led to his retirement from performing.
He was surrounded by his loved ones at the time of his passing. The legendary musician, famous for hits like Changes, had been battling Parkinson’s disease in the lead-up to his death.
Despite his health struggles, Ozzy had been working tirelessly with a therapist to prepare for a massive show in Birmingham, titled Back To The Beginning, which took place on July 5.
In the run-up to the show, Ozzy’s wife Sharon revealed: “Ozzy’s working with his therapist every single day. He’s doing really well, actually. Ozzy’s number one thing in life is his fans, so he’s working hard to be ready for them, to make this show the perfect way to end things.”
Last year, Ozzy was forced to miss the band’s Rock’N’Roll Hall of Fame induction in America due to poor health. During the Back To The Beginning show, Ozzy performed seated on a black throne, as he was unable to stand, reports the Mirror.
In a bid to improve his mobility, Ozzy, who had undergone multiple back and neck surgeries, had enlisted the help of a specialist rehab therapist in Los Angeles. The goal was to enable him to stand for several minutes on stage, walk more freely, and improve his balance.
Prior to his passing, Ozzy was in the midst of a concerning health battle, which had raised worries about his ability to take to the stage at Villa Park, where he was set to perform in front of around 50,000 fans. The music icon, who hadn’t performed live in nearly seven years, was determined to deliver a stellar performance for Black Sabbath fans at their farewell show at Villa Park.
To prepare, Ozzy moved a specialist coach into his home to help him regain the fitness needed for the performance.
The concert held significant meaning for the Prince of Darkness. In a chat with Premier Comms, he expressed that he saw the gig as an opportunity to “say thank you to my fans for always supporting me and being there for me”.
He further stated: “I couldn’t have done my final show anywhere else. I had to go back to the beginning.”
Ozzy’s health has been a major concern over the past few decades. After fully immersing himself in the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle during his early years, his health significantly deteriorated.
His health struggles began over 20 years ago when he broke his neck in a quad bike accident in 2003, leading to extensive back surgery and metal rods being inserted into his spine.
In February 2019, Sharon revealed that he had been hospitalised due to flu complications. She shared that doctors advised hospitalisation as the best course of action for a speedy recovery.
Sharon tweeted: “As some of you may have heard, Ozzy was admitted to hospital following some complications from the flu. His doctors feel this is the best way to get him on a quicker road to recovery. Thanks to everyone for their concern and love.”
The ailment resulted in him calling off a series of tour dates while he recuperated, including delaying the UK and European legs of his No More Tours 2.
In October 2018, he asserted that he was not retiring, telling Rolling Stone: “In essence, what I’m trying to do is slow my lifestyle down to a more comfortable way of living.”
However, within months he was compelled to postpone another series of tour dates – including a gig at the renowned Hollywood Bowl – after suffering a fall at his Los Angeles residence in April 2019.
In November 2019, he made a comeback to the stage for a one-song performance at the American Music Awards alongside rappers Post Malone and Travis Scott.
The trio performed the song Take What You Want, from Malone’s album Hollywood’s Bleeding, although Osbourne spent most of the performance seated immobile in a gothic-style throne towards the back of the stage.
In 2020, the singer also revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s about a year prior. In an interview with Good Morning America alongside his wife Sharon, he disclosed: “I had to have surgery on my neck which screwed all my nerves. I found out that I have a mild form of…” Struggling to finish the sentence Sharon stepped in: “It’s Parkin two which is a form of Parkinson’s.”
She added: “There are so many different types of Parkinson’s. It’s not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination but it does affect the nerves in your body. It’s like you’ll have a good day, then a good day, and then a really bad day.”
Osbourne had also been a long-time advocate for the NHS, having received life-saving treatment from NHS staff in 2003 after a near-fatal accident at his Buckinghamshire home left him with severe injuries, including a fractured neck vertebra, fractured ribs, and a broken collarbone.
Despite his health struggles and deteriorating condition, Sharon revealed that his voice remained strong until his final performance. In an interview with The Sun, she said: “He’s very happy to be coming back and very emotional about this. Parkinson’s is a progressive disease.
“It’s not something you can stabilize. It affects different parts of the body, and it’s affected his legs. But his voice is as good as it’s ever been.”
Ozzy took to the stage for the last time less than three weeks ago, fulfilling the dreams of Black Sabbath fans across the UK.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
