Ozzy Osbourne’s sisters have spoken out following the music icon’s death aged 76.
The Crazy Train hit-maker - whose real name was John Michael Osbourne - died on July 22 at his home in Buckinghamshire with a statement confirming he was “with his family and surrounded by love”.
In recent years, the former Black Sabbath frontman had faced significant health challenges. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003, a condition he made public in 2020. He also underwent multiple operations following a fall in 2019 that aggravated an old spinal injury.
Recovery proved slow, and he was later hospitalised with COVID-19 in 2022, which further affected his mobility.
Osbourne was the fourth born of six siblings and is survived by two older sisters and a younger brother. He rose from a working-class upbringing in Birmingham to become one of the most iconic figures in heavy metal, with a career spanning more than five decades.
Referring to the star as “Our John,” the last time that his sisters Jean Powell, 85, and Gillian Hemming, 80, saw him was at his epic farewell concert at Villa Park in Aston, near where they all grew up.
While they admitted he had seemed “frail”, they say his death still came as a “shock” and that he had told them he hoped to come back to Birmingham to see them again soon.
Describing the self-styled Prince of Darkness as “loving and funny,” Mrs Hemming told The Mirror: “We just can’t believe he is gone and we won’t be getting another phone call or text from him. Every week without fail he would get in touch, either by phone or text, to ask how we were all doing and what was going on.”
Giving her own insight, Mrs Powell said: “He was frail but it still came as a shock. He still had plans and things he wanted to do. We don’t know the details of his death, it’s still too early. It’s just so sad. I’m just thankful he died in England.”
Mrs Hemming added: “We were proud as punch about him and everything he achieved. But it never went to his head. What the public saw of John was exactly what he was like in real life. It wasn’t an act.”
