He was supposed to be immortal. For decades, we joked that after a nuclear war, the only things left would be cockroaches and Ozzy Osbourne. He survived the plane crash that killed Randy Rhoads, years of legendary substance abuse, and even a quad bike accident that nearly snapped his neck. But on July 22, 2025, the news finally broke that the Prince of Darkness had passed away at the age of 76.
It felt weird. Heavy metal's iron man was gone. People immediately started speculating—was it the Parkinson’s? A "suicide pact" gone wrong? Honestly, the truth is a bit more grounded, though no less tragic for the millions of fans who grew up on Paranoid and Bark at the Moon.
The Official Record: Ozzy Osbourne Cause of Death
According to the official coroner’s report and statements released by the family, the primary Ozzy Osbourne cause of death was an acute myocardial infarction, more commonly known as a heart attack. He also suffered from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
Basically, his heart just gave out.
It wasn't a sudden, shocking accident. Instead, it was the culmination of a brutal several-year stretch where his body was fighting multiple wars at once. The death certificate also listed two major contributing factors: coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease with autonomic dysfunction.
That last part—autonomic dysfunction—is a big deal. It means the parts of the nervous system that control "automatic" things like heart rate and blood pressure were starting to fail. Paramedics reportedly spent hours trying to stabilize him at his Buckinghamshire home, and an air ambulance was even dispatched, but he couldn't be revived.
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He died surrounded by Sharon, Jack, and Kelly.
The Final Show: Going Out on Top
There’s something poetic about how it ended. Just 17 days before he died, Ozzy did the impossible. On July 5, 2025, he performed one last show in his hometown of Birmingham.
He was in rough shape. He couldn't walk. He performed the first half of the set from a massive, gothic black throne. But when he reunited with Black Sabbath for the finale, the energy was undeniable. Sharon later revealed that doctors warned him he might not survive the physical stress of that performance.
He did it anyway.
“If I do this show, that’s it,” he reportedly told her. He knew. You can hear it in the bootlegs from that night—his voice was surprisingly strong, even if his body was failing. He wanted that "full stop" on his career. He got it.
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The Health Battle Nobody Saw
We all knew about the Parkinson’s (PRKN 2) diagnosis he went public with in 2020. But the family recently opened up about how bad things got in the final months of 2025.
- Pneumonia and Sepsis: In March 2025, Ozzy nearly died from sepsis following a bout of pneumonia.
- The 2019 Fall: That fall in the dark at his LA home was the beginning of the end. It dislodged metal rods in his back from a previous accident, leading to seven surgeries in five years.
- Constant Pain: He was quite open about the fact that his "nerve pain" was so intense he sometimes wished he wouldn't wake up.
Debunking the Rumors
Whenever a legend dies, the internet goes into a frenzy. There were some pretty nasty rumors floating around that Ozzy had followed through on a "suicide pact" with Sharon.
Kelly Osbourne had to shut that down hard.
The "pact" was something Sharon mentioned years ago in her memoir—basically saying they’d go to Switzerland if they got dementia. But Ozzy didn't have dementia. He was sharp until the end. He was actually excited about his memoir Last Rites and the upcoming biopic. There was no "assisted suicide." It was a 76-year-old man whose heart finally reached its limit after a life lived at 1,000 miles per hour.
Why It Still Matters in 2026
It’s been months, but the "Ozzy shaped hole" in music is still huge. As of January 2026, his legacy is everywhere. Birmingham is considering renaming their airport after him. The biopic is in "full steam" development with a "phenomenal" actor reportedly cast to play the young Ozzman.
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He wasn't just a singer; he was the blueprint for every metal frontman who followed.
The lesson here? Ozzy stayed authentic. He complained about his health, he joked about his own death, and he never tried to hide the fact that he was hurting. He showed us that you can be the "Prince of Darkness" and still be a vulnerable, "keep-it-real" grandfather at the same time.
What You Can Do Now
If you’re a fan looking to honor his memory, skip the clickbait "tribute" videos. Instead, look into these actual ways to keep his flame alive:
- Support the Charities: The proceeds from his final Birmingham show went to Cure Parkinson’s and the Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Donating there is exactly what the family wants.
- Read the Real Story: Pick up his posthumous memoir, Last Rites, released in October 2025. It’s his own voice, unfiltered, covering the final years.
- Visit the Exhibition: If you're near the UK, the Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero exhibition at the Birmingham Museum has been extended through September 2026.
He always said he wanted to be remembered for the music, not the bat-biting or the reality show. So, crank up Diary of a Madman today. That’s the best way to remember him.