Late this July, "the Prince of Darkness" Ozzy Osbourne passed away at the age of 86. Osbourne made a lasting legacy on heavy metal music with his band, The Black Sabbath, and was known as one of the pioneers of the genre. Just recently, the New York Times obtained records that reveal the cause of his sudden passing.
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Since the early 2000s, Ozzy Osbourne had been the victim of numerous health problems. After a bike accident in 2003, he was left with a broken collarbone, six fractured ribs, and a broken neck vertebra. This injury was life-threatening and resulted in the singer being in a coma for eight days. The injury was only made worse by a deadly fall that Osbourne experienced in 2019, which is the same year that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's and caught SARS-CoV-2.
In 2022, he admitted that all the physical strain had also taken a toll on his mental health. After trying out some antidepressants, he commented that he "reached a plateau that was lower than I wanted it to be. Nothing really felt great. Nothing. So I went on these antidepressants, and they work OK."
Despite all of this, he still maintained a relatively optimistic outlook on life and music. "I am determined to get back on stage even if I have to be nailed to a board and wheeled on," he told People in 2022. "Survival is my legacy." Not long after this, he would face his fourth spinal surgery, which would be his seventh surgery in five years.
Ozzy Osbourne's Legacy Will Not Be Forgotten
In his final hours, the rocker suffered from a myocardial infarction, or cardiac arrest, due to struggles with Parkinson's and coronary artery disease. His death certificate cited a heart attack as the leading cause of death.
The family released a statement on his passing, saying, "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. We ask everyone to respect our family's privacy at this time."
On July 30, 2025, a parade was held in Birmingham to honor his legacy, in which thousands of fans participated. The procession made its way through the city, stopping at the Black Sabbath bench, where his widowed wife and children stopped by. Fans could be heard chanting "Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy," as they said their final goodbyes to the rock legend.
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