Ozzy Osbourne’s youngest daughter Kelly has shared a touching statement following her father’s death.
The former Black Sabbath frontman died on Tuesday, 22 July, at the age of 76, weeks after the heavy metal band’s farewell show at Villa Park, in their hometown of Birmingham on Saturday 5 July.
Kelly, 40, expressed her grief using lyrics from Black Sabbath’s 1972 ballad “Changes”.
“I feel unhappy. I am so sad. I lost the best friend I ever had,” she wrote on Instagram, alongside a “broken heart” emoji.
The 40-year-old previously performed the song with her father in 2003, in a version that appeared as a single on her debut studio album Shut Up.
Osbourne’s death was announced by his family in a statement this week.
“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,” it read.
“He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
Earlier this week, Osbourne’s sisters Jean Powell and Gillian Hemming revealed the rock icon had been “frail” the last time they saw him but said that his death “still came as a shock”.
“We saw him in Birmingham the other week when he and the rest of the band were given the freedom of the city,” they told The Mirror. “It was upsetting because he could not stand up straight, but he was still our John, still cracking the jokes.”
They added: “To us he was our brother, not a celebrity, so it’s crazy to see the outpouring of love since his death was announced.”
Following Ozzy’s death, the surviving Black Sabbath members honoured their late bandmate with a post on Instagram that simply said: “Ozzy forever.”
The band’s members all posted separate tributes, too, with bassist Terence “Geezer” Butler writing that he was “so glad we got to do it one last time”, in reference to their farewell show.
Guitarist Tony Iommi called it “heartbreaking news,” adding that “there won’t ever be another like him”.
Drummer Bill Ward also posted a photo with Osbourne, writing: “Where will I find you now? In the memories, our unspoken embraces, our missed phone calls, no, you’re forever in my heart.”
