Legendary heavy metal rocker Ozzy Osbourne‘s cause of death has been revealed after he died last month at the age of 76.
The Black Sabbath frontman, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019, passed away on July 22 surrounded by his family.
According to his death certificate, the singer died from an ‘acute myocardial infarction’ and ‘out of hospital cardiac arrest’.
Ozzy was laid to rest on the grounds of his own mansion in Buckinghamshire last week during a private funeral attended by his family and a host of rock royalty.
His widow Sharon, 72, and their children were joined by stars including Marilyn Manson and Ozzy’s lead guitarist Zakk Wylde during the event at the family’s 250-acre estate near Gerrards Cross.
His passing came just weeks after he appeared on stage for his farewell concert at Villa Park stadium in his native Birmingham.
The concert – three weeks before his death – saw him reunite with his original Black Sabbath bandmates for the first time since 2005.
More than 42,000 fans packed into the venue for the Back To The Beginning show, during which he told the crowd in his final speech: ‘You’ve no idea how I feel – thank you from the bottom of my heart.’
Official documents listed three causes of death for the rock legend. This included an out of hospital cardiac arrest, acute myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease with autonomic dysfunction.
In a statement shared last month, Ozzy’s family said he died ‘surrounded by love’, adding: ‘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 is survived by his wife Sharon and his five children Jessica, Louis, Aimee, Kelly and Jack.
Since his death, tributes have been pouring in from fans and friends around the world with thousands visiting the Black Sabbath Bench in the musician’s home city of Birmingham to lay bouquets, wreaths, posters, balloons, candles and cards.
The Osbourne family visited the bench in Broad Street last Wednesday to lay their own flowers during a cortege procession.
Kelly, 40, who starred in the 2000s reality series The Osbournes, shared a post on her Instagram story on Monday thanking fans for their support.
She said: ‘I’ve sat down to write this a hundred times and still don’t know if the words will ever feel like enough… but from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
‘The love, support, and beautiful messages I’ve received from so many of you have truly helped carry me through the hardest moment of my life. Every kind word, every shared memory, every bit of compassion has meant more than I can ever explain.
‘Grief is a strange thing – it sneaks up on you in waves – I will not be ok for a while – but knowing my family are not alone in our pain makes a difference.
‘I’m holding on tight to the love, the light, and the legacy left behind. Thank you for being there. I love you all so much. – Kelly #BirminghamForever #OzzyForever.’
On Monday, Birmingham City Council began gathering up the tributes so they can be stored before being handed over to the Osbourne family.
A handful of fans watched from behind barriers, took photographs and hugged each other as officials in hi-vis jackets collected all the flowers and tributes which had been laid in front of the bench and on the railings behind it.
The council said the mementos would be gathered and preserved ‘respectfully’ in agreement with the rock star’s relatives and then stored ‘with the utmost care at a secure location, ensuring they are protected and treated with dignity’.
The council said: ‘In due course, they will be passed on to the Osbourne family, so they may keep them as a lasting reminder of the public’s affection and support.’
In a statement released through the city council, the Osbourne family said: ‘We are deeply moved by the heartfelt tributes that have been placed at the Black Sabbath Bridge and at the Black Sabbath mural on Navigation Street in recent days.
‘These expressions of remembrance reflect the profound impact that Ozzy had on the city and its people, as well as fans from around the world – BIRMINGHAM FOREVER!’
Ozzy was born John Michael Osbourne in Birmingham in 1948, and dropped out of school at the age of 15.
After serving two months in prison for burglary, he decided to pursue his love of music.
By 1970, Black Sabbath – originally going by the name of Earth – had gained a huge following in the US and UK with the release of their first album.
Ozzy quit the band in 1978 and four years later divorced his first wife Thelma Mayfair, with whom he had two children, amid his ongoing substance abuse problems.
He went on to marry second wife Sharon, who helped him transform into a successful solo artist and the couple had three children together.
Ozzy gained a whole new audience of fans with the family’s reality TV show The Osbournes in 2001.
He and his wife, Sharon Osbourne, bought their 250-acre estate, known as Welders House in 1993.
According to the insider, it was a place they often ‘escaped’ to when they needed a break from fame during the height of his career.
Ozzy announced that he planned moved back to Welders House permanently in 2022 after years of spending most of his time living in Los Angeles.
At the time, he had the home revamped, adding bat boxes, as well as a ‘rehabilitation wing’ following his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in 2020.
But his battle with Parkinson’s and a crippling fall that exacerbated his old quad bike injury are thought to have delayed his return to the UK.
Kelly spoke about how well Ozzy was doing in a poignant last interview just two weeks before he died.
Just two days before she got engaged to Sid Wilson at Ozzy’s final performance with his band in Villa Park, Birmingham, Kelly said her father was feeling ‘amazing’.
She said: ‘My dad is amazing! He’s so excited for his final show on Saturday. There is all the nerves and all the excitement.
‘He’s sailing through everything, and the rehearsals have been incredible. It’s all about him. It’s going to be a very emotional moment.’
