Featured Image Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty
Topics: Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne, Celebrity, US News
Lucy Devine
Topics: Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne, Celebrity, US News
Ozzy Osbourne's sister has revealed the heartbreaking text message he sent prior to his death at the age of 76.
On Tuesday (July 22), Ozzy's family announced that he had sadly died, 'surrounded by love' at the age of 76.
Following Ozzy's death, the family shared a statement.
It read: "It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love.
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"We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time."
Ozzy leaves behind his wife, Sharon, and their children, Aimee, Kelly and Jack. He is also survived by Jessica and Louis, from his first marriage to Thelma Riley, as well as his grandchildren.
Now, Ozzy's sister, Jean Powell, has spoken about her brother and the last time they spoke.
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Jean told the Daily Mirror: “We saw him in Birmingham the other week when he and the rest of the band were given the freedom of the city.
“It was upsetting because he could not stand up straight, but he was still our John, still cracking the jokes.
"To us he was our brother, not a celebrity, so it’s crazy to see the outpouring of love since his death was announced.
"We just can’t believe he is gone and we won’t be getting another phone call or text from him. Every week without fail he would get in touch, either by phone or text, to ask how we were all doing and what was going on."
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Jean explained they had last saw Ozzy - real name John Michael Osbourne - at the concert, Back to the Beginning.
“He was frail but it still came as a shock,” said Jean. “He still had plans and things he wanted to do. We don’t know the details of his death, it’s still too early. It’s just so sad. I’m just thankful he died in England.
“We had an executive box in the stadium, and when I saw the sea of people waiting to see our John I just broke down.
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“We didn’t really get a chance to chat much because it was such a chaotic visit. But in his last text to me he said he would be coming to Birmingham again. He said ‘I can’t wait to come back’. We were hoping to see him this week.”
The revelation comes after Osbourne’s family members, including Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis, came together to announce the death of the Black Sabbath star on July 22.
Osbourne’s death came just weeks on from his farewell show, when he reunited with Black Sabbath for a gig at the UK’s Villa Park.
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While performing to a crowd of 42,000 fans, the singer said: "You've no idea how I feel - thank you from the bottom of my heart."
In January 2020, Osbourne revealed he’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological condition that primarily affects movement.