Jack Osbourne expresses ‘sorrow and gratitude' after death of father Ozzy

Irish Examiner

3 days ago

Jack Osbourne has paid tribute to his father, Ozzy, and said his heart is filled with 'love and gratitude' as well as 'sadness and sorrow' following the rock star's death.
The Black Sabbath frontman, who had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019, died aged 76 on July 22 from a reported heart attack.
Osbourne, his mother Sharon and siblings Aimee and Kelly, joined fans in laying flowers at the Black Sabbath bench in his home city of Birmingham last week.
In an Instagram post, Osbourne said: 'I haven't really wanted to post anything since the passing of my father. My heart has hurt too much.
'I'm gonna keep this short because he certainly hated long rambling speeches. He was so many things to so many people, but I was so lucky and blessed to be apart of a very small group that got to call him 'Dad'.
'My heart is full of so much sadness and sorrow, but also so much love and gratitude. I got 14,501 days with that man and I know that is such a blessing.'
Osbourne said a quote from US journalist and author Hunter S Thompson summed up his father, who 'lived his life fully'.
He wrote: 'Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body… but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, 'Wow! What a ride!'.'
His message was accompanied by a video that featured Ozzy's song So Tired, and showed pictures and videos of the father and son with members of their family.
On Tuesday, Birmingham Museum And Art Gallery announced it would be extending its Ozzy Osbourne exhibition to the end of 2025 due to public demand.
Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero, which was originally due to end on September 28, was opened by former X Factor judge Sharon on June 25 to coincide with the band's July 5 homecoming farewell concert at Villa Park.
The free exhibition showcases Ozzy's honours including Grammys, MTV Awards and Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame accolades.
Kelly, Sharon and Jack Osbourne, view the messages and floral tributes left at the Black Sabbath Bridge bench (Joe Giddens/PA)
Birmingham City Council began gathering up tributes left at the Black Sabbath bench on Monday, which will be stored and then handed over to the Osbourne family.
The family viewed the tributes last Wednesday during a procession in which the heavy metal star's body was carried through his home city a final time.
Kelly Osbourne thanked fans for their support in a social media post and said the beautiful messages she received 'have truly helped carry me through the hardest moment of my life'.
The siblings featured in the 2000s MTV reality show The Osbournes that shone a spotlight on the family's domestic life, although their older sister Aimee opted not to take part.
Ozzy died just over two weeks after Black Sabbath were reunited barely two miles from where they first played together more than 50 years ago.
The Back to the Beginning benefit concert saw performances from the likes of Anthrax, Metallica, Yungblud and Guns N' Roses.
The singer and his Black Sabbath bandmates – Terence 'Geezer' Butler, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward, were the last to appear on stage as part of the star-studded line-up.
The group who formed in 1968 and were known for songs including War Pigs and Paranoid, were given the freedom of the city of Birmingham in June, which recognises people's exceptional service to the city.